[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 11, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H5239-H5243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL GREAT BLACK AMERICANS COMMENDATION ACT OF 2003
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to announce the introduction of the
National Great Black Americans Commendation Act of 2003, legislation
that will help to bring long overdue recognition to African Americans
who have served our Nation with distinction but whose names, faces and
records of achievements may not be well known by the public.
This recognition primarily will be accomplished through an expansion
of national designation of a national treasure, the Great Blacks in Wax
Museum, located in my district in Baltimore, Maryland. The legislation
also authorizes assistance in establishing a Justice Learning Center as
a component of the expanded museum complex.
[[Page H5240]]
{time} 1645
The Justice Learning Center will include state-of-the-art facilities
and resources to educate the public, and especially youth, about the
role of African Americans in our Nation's justice system. It will
include a special focus on the civil rights movement, on the role of
African Americans as lawmakers and as attorneys, and on the role of
blacks in the judiciary.
I am introducing this legislation with the bipartisan support and
cosponsor of 47 of our colleagues. This legislation will help to
present the faces and stories of black Americans who have reached some
of the highest levels of national service but who are generally
unknown.
A priority will be exhibits presenting black Americans who served in
Congress during the 1800s, some born in slavery and others born free.
These Americans proudly served their constituencies and this great
Nation.
I am pleased to inform my colleagues that the museum will showcase
the 22 outstanding blacks who served in the United States Senate and
House of Representatives in the 1800s, and those from the 1900s such as
Senator Edward Brooke and Representatives Julian Dixon, Oscar Stanton
DePriest, Lewis Stokes, and many others.
The legislation will also help to showcase black Americans who served
in senior civilian executive branch positions, such as Ralph Bunche,
Frederic Morrow, Robert Weaver, William Coleman, Patricia Harris, Lewis
Sullivan, and many others who did not receive the appropriate
recognition in the past.
The expanded museum will focus on black military veterans, including
the Buffalo Soldiers and the Tuskegee Airmen, black judges, lawmen and
prominent attorneys, and the role of blacks in discovery and
settlement.
The Great Blacks in Wax Museum, America's first wax museum of black
history, was founded in the early 1980s. The museum occupies part of a
city block in east Baltimore and currently includes approximately 200
exhibits. Existing figures depict great black Americans such as Colin
Powell, Harriet Tubman, Dr. Martin Luther King, Mary McLeod Bethune,
and former Representatives Mickey Leland of Texas, Kweisi Mfume of
Maryland, Shirley Chisolm and Adam Clayton Powell of New York.
The State of Maryland and the city of Baltimore have contributed over
$5 million toward this expansion project, which will occupy an entire
city block in the empowerment zone area. The museum is conducting
extensive outreach to major corporations and other private donors. This
legislation authorizes a Federal share not to exceed 25 percent or $15
million, whichever is less, of the expansion project.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support and cosponsor this
important legislation, which will help to educate our Nation and the
world about the critical contributions of African Americans in
defending freedom and guaranteeing equal rights under the law, in
protecting our Nation's interests in times of military conflict, in
exploration and settlement of our Nation, and in providing leadership
at the Federal level through service in Congress and the executive
branch.
This museum will ensure that history never forgets the contributions
of these great Americans.
The Great Blacks in Wax Museum: A Brief History
The Great Blacks In Wax Museum, America's first wax museum
of African American history, was founded in 1983 by Drs.
Elmer and Joanne Martin, two Baltimore educators. However,
the Martins' story begins in 1980 when with money they were
saving for a down payment on a house, they purchased four wax
figures. These they carted to schools, churches, shopping
malls, and festivals throughout the mid-Atlantic area. Their
goal was to test public reaction to the idea of a black
history wax museum. So positive was the response that in
1983, with personal loans, they opened the Museum in a small
storefront in downtown Baltimore. The success of the Museum,
especially among students on field trips, made it imperative
that the Martins find larger space. In 1985, the Martins
closed the museum and organized an all-out fundraising effort
to secure new and expanded space and to purchase more wax
figures. Their efforts allowed them to purchase an abandoned
fire station on East North Avenue. After extensive
renovations, the Martins re-opened the museum in October of
1988.
When the Museum moved to its East Baltimore location, away
from the lucrative Inner Harbor tourist market and decidedly
off the beaten track, the naysayers declared that few people
would venture into a deteriorating community to see a little
wax museum. Yet in 1989, the first full year of operation in
its new location, 44,000 visitors ventured into the
neighborhood to see America's first black history wax museum.
The visitorship held at annual average of 44,000 for the next
three years and then increased in 1992 to 52,000, 61,000 in
1993, and 81,000 in 1994. In 2002, more than 300,000 people
from across the nation visited the unique cultural
institution.
A September 1994 article in the Afro American newspaper
declared the Great Blacks In Wax Museum a ``National
Treasure.'' In fact, the Museum serves the entire nation.
International visitors have come from France, Africa, Israel,
Japan, and many other continents and nations. The Great
Blacks In Wax Museum story has been heralded by news media
around the world, including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The
Washington Post, The New York Times, The Chicago Sun Times,
the Dallas Morning News, Kulturwelt, USA/Africa, The Los
Angeles Times, USA Today, Crisis, and Essence Magazine.
Approximately 200 wax figures and scenes, a 19th century
slave ship re-creation, a special permanent exhibition on the
role of youth in the making and shaping of history, a
Maryland room highlighting the contributions of outstanding
Marylanders to African-American history, gift shop, a mini
auditorium for lectures and films are some of the major
cultural features of one of America's most dynamic and unique
cultural and educational institutions.
Planned Exhibits of the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum and Justice
Learning Center
The following provides additional information about the
planned exhibits of the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum
and Justice Learning Center.
African Americans in Politics, Law and Government
historical perspective
At the end of the Revolutionary War, more than one-third of
the three million people living in the U.S. were not free.
Among this group were 600,000 slaves, 300,000 indentured
servants, 50,000 convicts, and of course, Native Americans.
Of the more than two million free Americans, only 120,000
could meet the requirements set up by individual states at
that time for a person to be allowed to vote. These
requirements centered around such factors as sex, age,
residence, moral character, property, religion, slave versus
free status, and race. By the end of the 1800's, most states
had also added property and tax paying requirements to the
list and many individuals who had been eligible to vote lost
their privilege.
As more and more Blacks gained their freedom (either by
purchasing it themselves or by being emancipated upon the
death of their masters), states began to change their
constitutions so as to exclude Blacks. Moreover, Blacks were
denied the right to vote in every state (except Maine) that
entered the union between 1800 and 1861.
The Civil War brought about a drastic change in the pattern
of taking away the vote from Blacks because suddenly four
million slaves were transformed into citizens possessing the
right to vote. Within three years, the 15th amendment to the
U.S. Constitution had given the right to vote to all male
citizens regardless of race. Women, however, would not gain
voting rights until decades later with the passage of the
19th amendment.
Following the Civil War, Blacks in the South voted in large
numbers and elected many Blacks to office. Indeed, between
1870 and 1901, 22 African Americans (two Senators and 20
Representatives) were elected to the U.S. Congress. However,
two factors were about to have a dramatic effect on Black
voting rights: (1) the fear among many white people that
Blacks would now gain political power, and (2) the effort of
many government officials to impose punitive measures on the
South, which succeeded in undermining the 15th Amendment and
depriving Blacks of the vote.
Southern state after state began to enact laws that
stripped away the right to vote of Blacks outright or that
introduced such restrictions as the poll tax and the literacy
test. And what these restrictions failed to accomplish were
more than made up for by the Ku Klux Klan and other hate
groups. By 1910, every Southern state had such controls. By
1902 not a single Black sat in either a state or federal
legislature. Moreover, every state university and public
facility that had once been desegregated was now
segregated again.
Hope was reborn in the early part of the 1900's as leaders
like W.E.B. Dubois began to exert pressure on the government
to reinstate voting rights for Blacks. The effort of this
more aggressive Black electorate and the success of Franklin
Roosevelt in convincing Black voters that as President he
would be committed to principles of equality would transform
a traditionally Republican Black voter into a staunch
supporter of the Democratic Party, a tendency which continues
up to the present.
During the later decades African American participation in
the political process has been influenced by the forces
operating at the time. During the 1930's it was the migration
of Blacks from the South to the North and from the country to
the city. The 1960's created a sharp rise in the political
consciousness of Blacks due in part to the enthusiasm
generated by the Civil Rights
[[Page H5241]]
Movement. Throughout the past several decades, African
Americans have been selected for political offices in ever-
increasing numbers. Many of them have made their imprint on
history.
In a 3,000 square foot gallery within the future National
Great Blacks in Wax Museum and Justice Center consisting of
the latest in interactive, multimedia technology, visitors
will learn about:
The Civil Rights Struggle--Early Rights Movements; Civil
Rights at the End of the Civil War; Civil Rights in the 20th
Century; Civil Rights Activists.
The Legal Battleground--The Legal Status of African
Americans: 1790-1883; African Americans and the Criminal
Justice System; African Americans in the Federal Courts;
African American on the U.S. Supreme Court; Major Federal
Legislation; Major U.S. Supreme Court Decisions; Pioneering
Jurists, Attorneys, Judges.
The Political Race--The role of African Americans in
Politics from the Colonial Era to Today; African American
Elected Officials and Political Appointees; Legalized
Oppression; Women and Politics.
Black Americans in Congress: 19th Century
The following great Black Americans will be featured in
future exhibits in the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum
and Justice Learning Center:
Blance Kelso Bruce--U.S. Senator (R-MS), 1872-1881. Blance
Kelso Bruce was born in slavery near Farmville, Prince Edward
County, Virginia on March 1, 1841. Having been tutored by his
owner's son, Bruce escaped slavery at the beginning of the
Civil War, taught school in Hannibal, Missouri, and later
attended Oberlin College, in Ohio. After the war, he became a
planter and local government official in Mississippi. Elected
as a Republican, he was the first Black American to serve a
full term in the United States Senate. Following his Senate
service, Bruce was appointed Register of the Treasury and
Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia.
Richard Harvey Cain--Member of Congress (R-SC), 1873-1875;
1877-1879. Richard Harvey Cain was born to free parents in
Greenbrier County, Virginia, on April 12, 1825. Prior to his
election to Congress, Cain was a minister and served as a
delegate to the Constitutional Convention of South Carolina,
and as a member of the State Senate. He was the first Black
clergyman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Following his Congressional service, he was appointed bishop
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, DC.
Henry Plummer Cheatham--Member of Congress (R-NC), 1880-
1893. Henry Plummer Cheatham was born in slavery near
Henderson, North Carolina on December 27, 1857. After
graduating from Shaw University in Raleigh, he served as
principal of the Plymouth Normal School and register of deeds
for Vance County. He was the only Black member of the 52nd
Congress (1891-1893). In addition to his Congressional
service, Cheatham served as a delegate to two Republican
National Conventions.
Robert Carlos DeLarge--Member of Congress (R-SC), 1871-
1873. Robert Carlos DeLarge was born in slavery in Aiken,
South Carolina on March 15, 1842. Prior to his Congressional
service, he engaged in agricultural pursuits and served as a
delegate to the State Constitutional Convention, as a member
of the State House of Representatives, and as State Land
Commissioner. DeLarge was an early organizer for the South
Carolina Republican Party. He chaired the Platform
Committee of the 1867 Republican State Convention.
Robert Brown Elliott--Member of Congress R-SC, 1871-1874.
Robert Brown Elliott was born in Liverpool, England on August
11, 1842. He graduated from Eton College in England, studied
law, and practiced law in Columbia, South Carolina. He served
as a member of the State Constitutional Convention, of the
State House of Representatives, and as Assistant Adjutant
General of South Carolina. Following service in Congress, he
served in the South Carolina House of Representatives, where
he was elected Speaker, and subsequently was elected Attorney
General of South Carolina.
Jeremiah Haralson--Member of Congress R-AL, 1875-1877.
Jeremiah Haralson was born in slavery on a plantation in
Georgia on April 1, 1846. He was taken to Alabama as a slave
of John Haralson, and remained in bondage until 1865.
Haralson engaged in agricultural pursuits, became a minister,
and served in the Alabama State House of Representatives and
Senate before his election to Congress. As a Member of
Congress, he supported general amnesty for former
Confederates.
John Adams Hyman--Member of Congress R-NC, 1875-1877. John
Adams Hyman was born slave near Warrenton, North Carolina on
July 23, 1840. He was sold and sent to Alabama, and then
returned to North Carolina in 1865. Hyman became the first
Black Member of Congress elected from North Carolina. In
addition to his Congressional service, Hyman served as a
delegate to the State Equal Rights Convention, the State
Constitutional Convention, the 1867 Republican State
Convention, and as a member of the State Senate.
John Mercer Langston--Member of Congress R-VA, 1890-1891.
Johnson Mercer Langston was born in Louisa, Virginia on
December 14, 1829, He graduated from Oberlin College, studied
law and practiced as an attorney in Ohio. Langston was
instrumental in recruiting Black troops during the Civil War.
After the war, he moved to Washington, DC and served as Dean
of the Law Department and as Acting President of Howard
University. In addition to his Congressional service, he
served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention.
His descendant and namesake was the renowned poet Langston
Hughes.
Jefferson Franklin Long--Member of Congress R-GA, 1870-
1871. Jefferson Franklin Long was born in slavery near
Knoxville, Georgia on March 3, 1836. He developed the trade
of a merchant tailor in Macon, Georgia. Long was a statewide
organizer for the Republican Party, and served on the state
Republican Central Committee. Following his Congressional
service, he was a delegate to the Republican National
Convention in 1880.
John Roy Lynch--Member of Congress R-MS, 1873-1877, 1882-
1883. John Roy Lynch was born in slavery near Vidalia,
Louisiana on September 10, 1847. He was later taken to a
plantation in Natchez, Mississippi. Following emancipation,
he served as a justice of the peace and a member of the
Mississippi House of Representatives, where he was elected
Speaker. In addition to his Congressional service, Lynch was
a delegate to five Republican National Conventions, chairman
of the Republican State Executive Committee, a member of the
Republican National Committee for the State of Mississippi,
temporary Chairman of a Republican National Convention,
Auditor of the Treasury for the Navy Department, and an
officer in the Spanish-American War.
Thomas Ezekiel Miller--Member of Congress R-SC, 1890-1891.
Thomas Ezekiel Miller was born to free parents in
Ferrebeeville, South Carolina on June 17, 1849. He served as
School Commissioner of Beaufort County, a member of the State
House of Representatives, and of the State Senate. Following
his Congressional service, Miller served as a member of the
State Constitutional Convention in 1895, and as president of
the State College in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
George Washington Murray--Member of Congress R-SC, 1893-
1895, 1896-1897. George Washington Murray was born in slavery
near Rembert, South Carolina on September 22, 1853. In
addition to his Congressional service, he was a
schoolteacher, inspector of customs at the port of
Charleston, South Carolina, a realtor, writer and lecturer,
and a delegate to several Republican National Conventions.
Charles Edmund Nash--Member of Congress (R-LA), 1875-1877.
Charles Edmund Nash was born in Opelousas, Louisiana on May
23, 1844. A bricklayer by trade, Congressman Nash also served
as Inspector of Customs and Postmaster.
James Edward O'Hara--Member of Congress (R-NC), 1883-1887.
James Edward O'Hara, the son of an Irish merchant and a West
Indian woman, was born in New York City on February 26, 1844.
He studied law in North Carolina and served as clerk for the
Constitutional Convention of North Carolina in 1868. In
addition to his Congressional service, he served in the North
Carolina House of Representatives, as chairman of the board
of commissioners for Halifax County, and a member of the
State Constitutional Convention in 1875.
Joseph Hayne Rainey--Member of Congress (R-SC), 1870-1879.
Joseph Hayne Rainey was born in slavery in Georgetown, South
Carolina on June 21, 1832. A barber by trade, he escaped to
the West Indies and remained there until the close of the
Civil War. He served as delegate to the State Constitutional
Convention in 1868, a member of the State Senate, and
Internal Revenue Agent of South Carolina. Rainey was the
first Black American to be elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives, and in 1874 became the first Black Member to
preside over a session of the House.
Alonzo Jacob Ransier--Member of Congress (R-SC), 1873-1875.
Alonzo Jacob Ransier was born to free parents in Charleston,
South Carolina on January 3, 1834. In addition to his
Congressional service, he served as a member of the State
House of Representatives, as a member of the State
Constitutional Conventions in 1868 and 1869, as Lieutenant
Governor of South Carolina, as Chairman of the Republican
State Central Committee, as delegate to the Republican
National Convention in 1872, and as Internal Revenue
Collector.
James Thomas Rapier--Member of Congress (R-AL), 1873-1875.
James Thomas Rapier was born to free parents in Florence,
Alabama on November 13, 1837. A cotton planter, he was
appointed a notary public, was a member of the first
Republican Convention held in Alabama, and member of the
State Constitutional Convention at Montgomery in 1867. In
addition to his Congressional service, Rapier served as
Assessor of Internal Revenue, Alabama Commissioner to the
Vienna Exposition in 1873, and U.S. Commissioner to the
World's Fair in Paris.
Hiram Rhodes Revels--U.S. Senator (R-MS), 1870-1871. Hiram
Rhodes Revels was born to free parents in Fayetteville, North
Carolina on September 27, 1827. A barber and ordained
minister, he assisted in recruiting two regiments of Black
troops at the outbreak of the Civil War. Revels served as
chaplain of a Black regiment in Vicksburg, Mississippi,
organized Black churches in the State, and was a member of
the State Senate. He was Secretary of State Ad Interim of
Mississippi, and president of Alcorn University in Rodney,
Mississippi. Hiram Revels was the first Black American
elected to the United States Senate.
Robert Smalls--Member of Congress (R-SC), 1875-1879, 1882-
1883, 1884-1887. Robert
[[Page H5242]]
Smalls was born in slavery in Beaufort, South Carolina on
April 5, 1839. He became an expert pilot of boats along the
coasts of South Carolina and Georgia and learned the Gullah
dialect of Sea Islanders. In addition to his Congressional
service, Smalls was a member of the State Constitutional
Convention 1868, served in the State House of Representatives
and in the State Senate, and was twice a delegate to
Republican National Conventions. Representative Smalls is
currently featured in the Great Blacks in Wax Museum.
Benjamin Sterling Turner--Member of Congress (R-AL), 1871-
1873. Benjamin Sterling Turner was born near Weldon, North
Carolina on March 17, 1825. Raised as a slave, he moved to
Alabama and was elected Tax Collector of Dallas County and
Selma City Councilman. He was the first Black Member of
Congress from Alabama. Following his Congressional service,
Turner was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
in 1880.
Josiah Thomas Walls--Member of Congress (R-FL), 1871-1873,
1873-1875, 1875-1876. Josiah Thomas Walls was born in
Winchester, Virginia on December 30, 1842. He moved to
Florida and was a delegate to the State Constitutional
Convention in 1868, and served in the State Senate prior to
his election to Congress.
George Henry White--Member of Congress (R-NC), 1897-1901.
George Henry White was born in Rosindale, North Carolina on
December 18, 1852. He was the last former slave to serve in
Congress. In addition to his Congressional service. White was
Principal of the State Normal School of North Carolina, a
member of the State House of Representatives and the State
Senate, a solicitor and prosecutor, and was twice a delegate
to Republican National Conventions.
Discovery and Settlement: Black American Pioneers
Current Exhibits--The following exhibits are currently on
display in the Great Blacks in Wax Museum collection:
Matthew A. Henson (1866-1955) was an international explorer
and the first person to reach the North Pole as a member of
Commodore Robert E. Peary's 1909 expedition. He later
chronicled his experiences in the book A Negro Explorer at
the North Pole (1912). President William Howard Taft
appointed Henson to the position of Clerk in the U.S. Customs
House in New York City, a position Henson held until 1936,
when he retired. In 2000, the National Geographic Society
posthumously awarded Henson the coveted Hubbard Medal for
Distinction in Exploration and Discovery.
James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), renowned writer, poet and
statesman, and NAACP executive director, observed: ``Your
West is giving the Negro a better deal than any other section
of the country. There is more opportunity for my race, and
less prejudice against it in this section of the country than
anywhere else in the United States.''
Bill Pickett (1870-1932), born to former slaves in Texas,
was one of the greatest cowboys that ever lived. Known to
tackle a steer and other beasts without a lariat, he is
credited with originating the rodeo sport known as ``steer
wrestling.'' Pickett was the first Black cowboy to appear in
Western movies, and the first Black inductee into the
National Cowboy and Rodeo Hall of Fame.
Future Exhibits--The following exhibits are planned for the
National Great Blacks in Wax Museum and Justice Learning
Center:
Henry Adams (1843-?), born into slavery, led the ``Black
Exodus,'' a migration of 40,000 African Americans to the Free
State of Kansas. ``Exodusters'' settled all-Black towns and
were able to achieve a significant measure of economic and
political freedom.
All-Black Towns. All-Black towns were established in
Western states and territories during the late 1800s. In
California, these include Kentucky Ridge (Placerville), Negro
Bar (part of Folsom), Negro Slide (in Pumas County), Negro
Tent (located between Comptonville and Goodyear), and Negro
Hill (near Sacramento). In Oklahoma, they include Bernon,
Boley, Brooksville, Clearview, Grayson, Langston, Lima,
Redbird, Rentiesville, Summit, Taft, Tatums, and Tullahassee.
James Pierson Beckwourth (1798-1866), who escaped from
slavery, played a major role in the exploration and
settlement of Western states. Beckwourth fought in the
California Revolution in 1846, and became chief scout for
General John C. Fremont. The town of Beckwourth, California
was named after him, as was Beckwourth Trail, an overland
route he charted from Sparks, Nevada across the Sierra Nevada
to Lake Oroville, California. He was the only Black
frontiersman to record his life story.
George Bonga (1802-1880) was a renowned fur trader and
trapper born in Minnesota. The grandson of Jean Bonga, the
first Black settler in the Northwoods (1782), he could speak
English, French and Ojibwa. In 1820, he served as interpreter
for Minnesota Governor Lewis Cass at a council held in Fond
du Lac territory. In 1837, Bonga successfully apprehended
Che-Ga Wa Skung, a Chippewa Indian wanted for murder. The
subsequent trial at Fort Snelling became the first trial for
a criminal offense held in Minnesota.
Clara Brown (1800-1885), born into slavery, traveled to
Denver, Colorado as a cook on a wagon train. Brown was the
first Black woman to cross the plains during the Gold Rush.
She settled in Central City, Colorado, established its first
laundry, accumulated wealth, and brought freed slaves to
Colorado. She was made an honorary member of the Society of
Colorado Pioneers.
Buffalo Soldiers--In the late 1800s, the all-Black 9th and
10th U.S. Army Cavalry Regiments and 38th Infantry served in
New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Kansas,
Oklahoma, Wyoming, Montana, Texas, and the Dakotas. They
built forts and roads, strung telegraph lines, protected
railroad crews, escorted stages and trains, protected
settlers and cattle drives, and fought outlaws. Indians
called them ``Buffalo Soldiers,'' and the soldiers wore the
title proudly.
Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable (1745-1818) established the
first permanent settlement of Chicago, Illinois in 1790. He
owned a highly profitable trading post which became the main
point of supply for traders and trappers heading West. His
granddaughter born in 1796 was the first child born in
Chicago.
Estevanico (1503-1539), an African enslaved by the Spanish,
led an expedition from Mexico into the territory of the
American Southwest in 1538 and is credited with the discovery
of the area that became the states of Arizona and New Mexico.
Mary Fields (1832-1914), born a slave, became a renowned
figure on the American Western frontier known as pistol-
packing ``Stagecoach Mary.'' In 1895, she was hired as a U.S.
Mail coach driver for the Cascade County region of central
Montana, becoming the first Black woman to drive a U.S. Mail
route. She and her mule Moses never missed a day, and thus
she earned her nickname ``Stagecoach'' for her unfailing
reliability.
Henry O. Flipper (1856-1940) was the first Black graduate
of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the first
Black Army commissioned officer. A Buffalo Soldier, Flipper
was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Forts Concho,
Elliott, Quitman and Davis, Texas. He was a signal officer
and quartermaster, installed telegraph lines, and supervised
road building. Flipper directed construction of a drainage
system at Fort Sill that prevented the spread of malaria.
``Flipper's Ditch'' is a National Historic Landmark.
Thomas ``O.T.'' Jackson (1846-1906), a barber from
Watsonville, California, was a tenor in several
internationally prominent Black minstrel groups in the late
1800s. He headlined numerous engagements, including
performances before King Edward VII of England. His
improvisational musical technique influenced various music
styles in the West in the 20th century, as well as the
development of Jazz and other African American music forms.
William A. Leidesdorff (1810-1848), the son of a Danish
sailor and a Black woman from St. Croix, Virgin Islands, came
to Yerba Buena (San Francisco) in 1841. Within three years he
owned waterfront property and the largest house in San
Francisco. Leidesdorff built San Francisco's first hotel,
helped establish it first public school, launched the state's
first steamship, and staged its first horse race. He also
acquired a 35,000-acre parcel of land encompassing modern
Folsom, California. Leidesdorff died just after his neighbor
and trading partner John Sutter discovered gold.
Nat Love (1854-1921), better known as ``Deadwood Dick,''
was born into slavery in Tennessee and moved to Dodge City,
Kansas. He became a rugged cowpuncher, champion rodeo rider
and roper, and cattle driver. In 1907, Love wrote a highly
romanticized autobiography portraying a life filled with
Indian fights, famous outlaws, and amazing feats. In so
doing, he sought to become accepted as the prototype of the
dime novel ``Deadwood Dick'' series.
Bridget (``Biddy'') Mason (1818-1891), born a slave in
Mississippi, trekked with her owner's family to San
Bernardino County, California. Once in California, Mason
petitioned the courts for freedom, which was granted in 1856.
Business and real estate transactions enabled her to
accumulate a substantial fortune, and she gave generously to
charities, providing food and shelter for the poor of all
races. In 1872, she founded and financed the first African
American church in Los Angeles.
George Monroe delivered mail in the mid-1800s by Pony
Express between Merced and Mariposa, California. He became a
stage driver, and was chosen to drive President Ulysses Grant
to Yosemite, where an area called Monroe Meadows is named
after him.
Mary Ellen Pleasant (1814-1904), known as the ``Mother of
Civil Rights'' in California, spent most of her life in San
Francisco where she provided shelter for fugitive slaves. In
1866, she petitioned the California courts by suing to
overturn the Mission and Northbeach Railway Company's policy
segregating the races, and she later won a judgment of $600.
Bass Reeves (1824-1910), born to slave parents in Texas,
became the first Black commissioned U.S. Deputy Marshal west
of the Mississippi River. Reeves lawfully killed 14 notorious
outlaws in the performance of his duty over 32 years. He was
honored with the ``Great Westerner'' award by the National
Cowboy and Rodeo Hall of Fame.
William Robinson delivered mail by Pony Express from
Stockton, California to gold miners.
Jeremiah B. Sanderson (1846-?) opened the first Black
schools in Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco and Stockton,
California.
Cathay Williams (1842-1924), born a slave, is believed to
be the only woman to serve as a Buffalo Soldier. In 1866 she
joined the 38th Infantry, one of four all-Black military
units, pretending to be a man (William Cathay). She served at
Forts Riley and Hacker
[[Page H5243]]
in Kansas, and Forts Bayard, Union and Cummings in New
Mexico, until military medical personnel discovered that she
was a woman. Her commander reported her to be a ``good
soldier.''
``York,'' a slave, was a member of the 1804-1806 Lewis and
Clark Expedition and served as William Clark's lifelong
servant and companion.
Great Blacks in the Executive Branch
The following great Black Americans are planned for future
exhibits in the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum and
Justice Center:
Clifford L. Alexander, Jr., a native of New York City, was
Foreign Affairs Officer in the National Security Council
during President John F. Kennedy's administration and
Secretary of the Army during President Jimmy Carter's
administration. He was the first Black to lead a Branch of
the United States Armed Services.
Mary Frances Berry, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, was
Assistant Secretary for Education, U.S. Department of Health,
Education and Welfare, during the Carter administration, and
Chair, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, during President
William J. Clinton's administration.
Mary McLeod Bethune, a native of Mayesville, South
Carolina, was a member of the Advisory Committee on National
Youth Administration during President Franklin D. Roosevelt's
administration; member of Roosevelt's ``Black Cabinet.'' She
is currently featured in the Great Blacks in Wax Museum.
Ralph Bunche, a Detroit native, was Senior Social Science
Analyst, Office of Secret Service, during the Franklin D.
Roosevelt administration. He also served as Undersecretary in
the United Nations Secretariat, and Undersecretary for
Special Political Affairs during the Eisenhower
administration. The recipient of the 1950 Nobel Peace
Prize, Bunche's record of service and honors received is
extensive.
William Coleman, Jr., a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native,
was Secretary of Transportation during President Gerald R.
Ford's administration. He was the second Black cabinet member
ever appointed.
John P. Davis, together with Ralph Bunche, founded the
National Negro Congress during the 1930s. Davis was a member
of Franklin D. Roosevelt's ``Black Cabinet.''
Drew S. Days III, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, was
Solicitor General of the United States and Assistant Attorney
General for Civil Rights during the Carter administration.
Patricia Roberts Harris, Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development and Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare in
the Carter administration, was born in Mattoon, Illinois. She
was the first Black female cabinet member ever appointed, and
the first Black person appointed to two cabinet positions.
William H. Hastie, a Knoxville, Tennessee native, served as
Attorney, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of the
Interior, in the Franklin D. Roosevelt, and was a member of
Roosevelt's ``Black Cabinet.''
Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. In
1972 President Nixon named Hooks, a lawyer and Baptist
minister, to the Federal Communications Commission, making
him its first Black member. From 1977 to 1993 he was
executive director of the NAACP. Dr. Hooks is currently
featured in the Great Blacks in Wax Museum.
Kay Coles James, of Virginia, served as head of the
National Commission on Children during the Reagan and Bush I
administrations, and as Associate Director of the Office of
National Drug Control Policy under the first Bush
administration. She currently serves as director of the
Office of Personnel Management under President George W.
Bush.
Eugene Kinckle Jones, a native of Richmond, Virginia, was a
member of Franklin D. Roosevelt's ``Black Cabinet.''
Gwendolyn S. King, a native of East Orange, New Jersey, was
Commissioner of Social Security in the George H.W. Bush
administration.
Thurgood Marshall, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, was
Solicitor General of the United States in President Lyndon
Johnson's administration. He subsequently served as Associate
Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Frederick D. McClure, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, was
Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, the White
House, during the George H.W. Bush administration, and
Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan for Legislative
Affairs.
Wade H. McCree, Jr., a native of Des Moines, Iowa, was
Solicitor General of the United States in the Carter
administration.
E. Frederic Morrow was Speechwriter and Administrative
Officer for Special Projects, the White House, during the
Dwight D. Eisenhower administration. Morrow was the first
Black person to serve in an executive position on a
president's staff at the White House. He chronicles his
experiences in the book, ``Black Man in the White House''
(1963).
Azie Taylor Morton, a native of Dale, Texas, was a member
of the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity in the
Kennedy administration. Morton also served as National
Director of the U.S. Savings Bonds Division and Treasurer of
the United States, U.S. Department of the Treasury, in the
Carter administration.
Constance Berry Newman, was Director, Office of Personnel
Management, in the George H.W. Bush administration and Under
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in the George H.W.
Bush and Clinton administrations. Newman has also served as
Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development, Director of VISTA, and Commissioner and
Vice-Chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. She is
currently Assistant Administrator for Africa, U.S. Agency for
International Development, in the George W. Bush
administration.
Condoleezza Rice, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, served
as Senior Director for Soviet and East European Affairs,
National Security Council, and Special Assistant to the
President for National Security Affairs, in the George H.W.
Bush administration. She currently serves as National
Security Advisor in the George W. Bush administration.
Samuel R. Pierce, Jr., a native of Glen Cove, New York, was
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the Reagan
administration.
Colin L. Powell (1937-), a native of New York City, served
as National Security Advisor under the Reagan administration
and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, under the George H.W.
Bush administration. He currently serves as Secretary of
State in the George W. Bush administration. Secretary Powell
is currently featured in the Great Blacks in Wax Museum.
Louis F. Sullivan, M.D., an Atlanta, Georgia native, was
Secretary of Health and Human Services under the George H.W.
Bush administration.
Terence A. Todman, a native of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin
Islands, was Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American
Affairs under the Carter administration.
Robert Weaver, a Washington, DC native, was a member of
Franklin D. Roosevelt's ``Black Cabinet''; Special Assistant
for Negro Affairs, Office of the Administrator of the U.S.
Housing Authority, in the Kennedy administration; and
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the Johnson
administration. Weaver was the first Black cabinet member
ever appointed.
Clifford R. Wharton, Jr. was Deputy Secretary of State in
the Clinton administration.
Walter White, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, was member of
Franklin D. Roosevelt's ``Black Cabinet.''
J. Ernest Wilkins, Sr., a native of Chicago, Illinois, was
Assistant Secretary of Labor for International Affairs under
the Eisenhower administration.
Andrew Young (1932-), a native of New Orleans, Louisiana,
was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations by
President Jimmy Carter. He previously served three terms in
Congress as a representative from Georgia.
____________________