[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 62 (Thursday, May 6, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E768]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO ELVIN R. CALDWELL, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 6, 2004

  Mr. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the extraordinary life of a 
distinguished public servant, Elvin R. Caldwell, Sr. This remarkable 
gentleman merits both our recognition and esteem as his impressive 
record of civic leadership and invaluable service has moved our 
community forward and thereby, improved the lives of our people.
  For Elvin Caldwell Sr., passion for social justice was not defined by 
the fanfare of public life. His passion was of lasting import. It was 
tempered by his calm bearing, firm resolve and a steady discipline 
which shaped civic accomplishments of immeasurable value to our 
community. Elvin Caldwell possessed the rare ability to transform the 
promise of equal justice and fair treatment into practicable reality 
and our lives have truly been enriched by his presence among us.
  During his formative years in Denver, Caldwell knew both the racism 
and exclusion prevalent during the 1920's and 30's. At a young age, he 
participated in protest marches with his parents and the adversity he 
experienced forged a resolve and commitment to civil liberties that 
would sustain him through life's challenges. He recalled that ``Denver 
was a very prejudiced city at one time . . . I used to watch my 
father--no matter how tired he was--stand out there . . . [and] I 
realized that I had a debt to pay for what [he] fought to achieve.'' 
Elvin Caldwell Sr. made good on that commitment and built a legacy in 
which we take great pride.
  He graduated from East High School in Denver and earned a track 
scholarship to the University of Colorado. Caldwell later married 
``Frankie'' Harriett Webb and his marriage lasted for 60 years and 
produced four children. By 1950, he was a successful accountant and a 
member of the State legislature. He served three terms in the Colorado 
House of Representatives, but the barriers to passing progressive 
legislation proved to be considerable. In 1955, Caldwell chose to take 
on six primary opponents in a city council race and at the age of 
thirty-one, he became the first African American elected to the Denver 
City Council. He was elected council president five times and his 
tenure proved to be one that was defined by resourcefulness and 
statesmanship. Caldwell entered city government at a time when 
institutionalized discrimination was the norm. Qualified African 
American police officers couldn't climb through the ranks, there were 
no black judges, and the fire department was segregated--African 
Americans could only serve at one fire station. These deplorable 
conditions set in motion Caldwell's plan for change--to rid the civil 
service system of practices that either marginalized African American 
firefighters and police officers or excluded racial minorities from 
public service. City government needed to be opened up and Caldwell was 
up to the challenge.
  Change did not come swiftly but the road to a more equitable society 
is never easy. He knew that change is unsettling and over the next 
decade, Caldwell's quiet persistence overcame obstacles and got things 
done. Even in the face of threats and militant confrontation by groups 
such as the Black Panthers, Caldwell remained courteous and 
unflappable. He once mused that ``On life's journey, it's better if you 
can resolve things in a calm, sensible manner . . . It may take longer, 
but you can usually get more done.''
  Caldwell's leadership in city council created formal recruitment 
programs to bring more minorities into Denver's public safety 
departments and through his perseverance and skill, the State's first 
Fair Employment Practices Act was made law. He became a potent force in 
helping to revitalize the Five Points area and helped establish the 
Eastside Neighborhood Health Center as well as the Five Points 
Community Center.
  His career on city council lasted twenty-five years and after seven 
terms, former Denver Mayor William McNichols appointed Caldwell Manager 
of Safety, making him the first African American to sit in a mayoral 
cabinet. He served on numerous community, State and national 
organizations including the Board of Directors of the National 
Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He is credited for 
opening doors for other African American leaders including former Mayor 
Wellington E. Webb and City Council President Elbra Wedgeworth. In 
1990, the Denver City Council created the Elvin R. Caldwell Community 
Service Plaza and on April 26, 2003, the City and County of Denver 
named the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in 
recognition of his lifetime of service to our community.
  Recently, his portrait was hung in the library to honor him as a 
modest and dignified public servant who left a powerful legacy of 
social progress. Truly, we are all diminished by the passing of this 
remarkable gentleman. Please join me in paying tribute to Elvin R. 
Caldwell, Sr. His life was rich in consequence and his deeds serve as 
an inspiration to us all. The values, leadership and commitment he 
exhibited during his life set the mark and compel us to continue the 
work that distinguishes us as a nation.

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