[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 21, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E999]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E999]]


REMARKS AT THE NCWO RALLY IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA ``EQUALITY AND PROGRESS' 
   BY RAMONA WRIGHT, 3RD VICE CHAIR, NATIONAL CONGRESS OF BLACK WOMEN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 20, 2003

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, as you know, I have previously introduced 
legislation to end discrimination against women by private clubs that 
conduct significant business activities. On April 12, 2003, I attended 
the event sponsored by the National Council of Women's Organizations at 
the Masters Golf Tournament to protest the discrimination against women 
as members by Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. I would 
like to submit for the record the remarks of Ms. Ramona Wright, Third 
Vice Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, which she made on 
that day.


                       ``Equality and Progress''

               Saturday April 12, 2003, Augusta, Georgia

 [By Ramona Wright, Third Vice Chair, National Congress of Black Women]

       Good afternoon.
       My name is Ramona Wright, and I am here on behalf of the 
     National Congress of Black Women. Though our Chairwoman, Dr. 
     C. Delores Tucker, could not be present, she sends warm 
     regards. The NCBW came to this rally to support our sisters 
     of the NCWO and their efforts to open up the membership of 
     the powerful Augusta National Golf Club to women golfers as 
     members.
       The NCWO is a strong supporter of the National Congress of 
     Black Women's crusade to have Sojourner Truth added to the 
     Women's Suffrage Statue in the Rotunda of the Capitol. It is 
     for their support and because the NCBW strongly opposes 
     discrimination against women on all levels that we are here 
     today.
       We are here today, we, members of the NCBW, NCWO, and 
     allies who support equality, to denounce the sexist 
     membership policy of the Augusta National Golf Club.
       It cannot stand!
       It is a new day and a new time, which is long over due. 
     Wouldn't you agree?
       In 1990, less than 15 years ago, the Augusta National Golf 
     Club finally began admitting African American men. This means 
     that before this time a young exceptional golfer (who happens 
     to be male and a minority and who, in 1997, broke the 
     Tournament's four-day scoring record that had stood for 32 
     years) won his fourth consecutive professional major in 2001 
     and, in 2002, became only the third player to win consecutive 
     Masters titles, could not, I repeat, could not have entered 
     in through the gates of the Augusta National Golf Club.
       It is shameful in this day and age, The New Millennium, 
     that sexism yet exists--that less than 15 years ago, minority 
     golfers like Tiger Woods may not have been permitted to join 
     the Augusta National Golf Club due to its discriminatory 
     practices.
       It is not OK for a sign to read No Girls Allowed, just as 
     it was never OK for signs all across this country to read No 
     Blacks Allowed!
       This rally is bigger than women being permitted to join a 
     boy's golf club. This rally is about equality and progress! 
     equality and progress!
       In 1735, the city of Augusta was named in the honor of 
     Princess Augusta--a woman.
       In the mid 1800s, Augusta had a population of almost 
     12,500, one of the 102 cities in the U.S. to have more than 
     10,000 residents. As the second largest city in Georgia 
     during the 19th century, its investment of a million dollars 
     in the manufacturing industry topped that of any other town 
     or state in the U.S.
       Moving on to the early 20th century, Augusta had begun 
     developing one of the finest medical centers in the southeast 
     region. And, of course, in the 1930s Augusta became home to 
     the Masters, its world-renowned golf tournament. In the 
     latter part of the past century, Augusta was on its way to 
     transitioning into an urban industrial center.
       Therefore, in a town that has progressed so significantly 
     over the last 200 years, why, when we, as a nation and here 
     in Augusta as a community should have learned from our sexist 
     and discriminatory past, do we support a tradition of 
     exclusion?
       Today, in the 21st century, the Augusta National Golf Club 
     has an opportunity to break its sexist and exclusionary 
     tradition by permitting women to join. This action would be 
     one of great courage and leadership, an example to the nation 
     and abroad that Augusta's rich tradition of progress includes 
     equality for all.
       Stay encouraged and God bless!

                          ____________________