[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 105 (Wednesday, September 8, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1542]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            TRIBUTE TO THE REVEREND JESSE LANGSTON BOYD, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 7, 2004

  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the exceptional 
accomplishments and extraordinary life of the Reverend Jesse Langston 
Boyd. This remarkable gentleman merits both our recognition and esteem 
as his impressive record of leadership and his invaluable service has 
done much to improve the lives of our people.
  Reverend Boyd's standing within our community is rivaled by few 
others. He was a dynamic preacher whose counsel was infused with a 
spiritual fire that moved all of us to do what was right. He lived his 
life on the front lines of progress and proved to be a powerful 
champion of economic and social justice. His indomitable spirit carried 
him through many of life's challenges and molded a life of genuine 
accomplishment.
  Jesse Boyd began his life in St. Louis, Missouri and settled in Los 
Angeles during the height of the civil rights movement. He joined the 
Reverend Jesse Jackson's Operation Breadbasket and organized the city's 
Operation PUSH. In the early 1970's, he spent two years as a missionary 
in Zambia building schools and houses. He later studied at the Center 
for the Study of Religions in Jerusalem and earned a degree in divinity 
from Harvard University.
  Reverend Boyd came to our community in 1978 and was pastor of Shorter 
African Methodist Episcopal Church for over twenty-six years. As a 
spiritual leader, he advanced the social and educational development of 
our youth and burnished a reputation as a powerful advocate for civil 
liberties, inclusion and expanding opportunities for all people. Under 
Reverend Boyd's leadership, Shorter A.M.E. became a beacon of hope and 
remains a positive force in the spiritual and civic life of our 
community.
  He served as President of the Black Ministerial Alliance and in the 
mid-1980's, he helped create People Against Racism at Coors after 
William Coors, board chairman, was quoted in the Rocky Mountain News as 
saying that blacks lacked ``intellectual capacity.'' The newspaper 
later retracted the story and a suit filed by Coors against the 
newspaper was also retracted. His civic accomplishments included 
building a fifty-unit housing development and establishing a park near 
Shorter A.M.E. Church.
  Reverend Boyd was no stranger to political and community activism. He 
served as director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and 
chaired the boards of directors of Denver Metro PUSH and the Rainbow 
Coalition. Former Governor Roy Romer appointed him to the Colorado 
Wildlife Commission and he co-chaired the state campaigns for the 
Reverend Jesse Jackson, Gary Hart and Michael Dukakis.
  It comes as no surprise that the Muscular Dystrophy Association 
honored Reverend Boyd with the 2004 Personal Achievement Award for his 
extensive religious, social and political contributions. Recently, 
Mayor John Hickenlooper proclaimed June 24th, 2004, as ``The Reverend 
Jesse Langston Boyd Day.''
  We are indeed grateful for the life of Reverend Boyd and for his 
inestimable contribution to the spiritual life of our community and to 
the causes that elevate the human condition. He was a fervent defender 
of the civil liberties which have deep roots in our republic and we are 
all diminished by the passing of the remarkable gentleman. His 
contemporaries, including the Reverend James Peters, the Reverend Paul 
Martin and the Reverend Gil Caldwell recently noted that Reverend Boyd 
``was a spiritual giant in our community'' who ``helped us blaze the 
trail'' and ``dared challenge America to become a land `with liberty 
and justice for all'.'' I would simply add that I believe Reverend 
Boyd's message to us would be that we must be ever vigilant and 
continue to affirm the values of equality, inclusion and tolerance--the 
values which define us as Americans. Please join me in paying tribute 
to the life of Reverend Jesse Langston Boyd, a distinguished spiritual 
and civic leader. His service, accomplishments and leadership command 
our respect and serve to build a better future for all Americans.

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