[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 20, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E14]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IN HONOR OF HAROLD REDDICK

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM DAVIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 20, 2004

  Mr. JIM DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Harold 
Reddick, a pioneer in Tampa Bay's civil rights community, who leaves 
behind a legacy of fighting for a better life for all Floridians.
  Following in the footsteps of his father, Harold started his career 
as a porter for Pullman Co., and went on to serve the Tampa chapter of 
the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. But Harold was born to lead--
he was constantly breaking boundaries in his battle for equal rights.
  In the early 1940's, traveling all the way to Chicago to plan a march 
on Washington, Harold fought to open federal government and defense 
jobs to black workers. Harold shook up Tampa Bay's establishment by 
attempting to-register in the local White Municipal Primary, and he was 
arrested for trying to patronize an all-white drive-in theater.
  A former vice president of the Tampa area chapter of the NAACP and 
strong supporter of the Montgomery Improvement Association, which 
helped to organize the Montgomery bus boycott, Harold was not afraid to 
challenge the old rules. He never let intimidation or violence get in 
his way.
  After leaving the railroad industry, Harold went on to fight for the 
poor and unemployed. Working for the AFL-CIO's Human Resources 
Development Institute, Harold helped the less fortunate get back on 
their feet.
  As vice president of the local branch of the A. Philip Randolph 
Institute, the senior constituency group of the AFL-CIO, and as a 
member of the Florida Silver-Haired Legislature, Harold was an advocate 
for seniors. And Harold fought for the young as well, serving on 
various advisory committees to the Hillsborough County School Board, 
alongside his wife, Doris, a school board member.
  Like so many public officials in our community, I had the good 
fortune to call Harold my friend. I could always count on him for his 
candid and constructive counsel. Until his last breath, Harold never 
stopped helping everyone he knew be the best that they could be and 
helping our community be the best it could be.
  Harold Reddick fought for all of us, and thanks to him, our community 
is stronger. On behalf of the Tampa Bay area, I would like to extend my 
deepest sympathy to Harold's family and friends. Harold's legacy will 
not soon be forgotten.




                          ____________________