[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 138 (Tuesday, December 7, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        OSSIE DAVIS AND RUBY DEE: AMERICAN ARTISTS AND ACTIVISTS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 7, 2004

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the life and work of Ossie 
Davis and Ruby Dee, two prolific artists whose achievements have 
immeasurably impacted the livelihood of African American artists and 
the African American community as a whole. Together, they helped to 
knock down the exclusionary barriers placed upon minority artists, 
effectually ushering in a new age of American art and culture in which 
the contributions of African American artists have been, for the first 
time in our history, recognized and appreciated. The pair were recently 
honored at the annual John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 
in celebration of their life's work.
  Appearing in more than 20 films, the talented Ruby Dee has enthralled 
audiences in notable stage appearances such as her role in A Raisin in 
the Sun and The Balcony. The recipient of countless cultural awards, 
Ms. Dee continues to push the boundries of the preconceived notions of 
women in film and theater. She has written plays, musicals and several 
books of poetry, eventually turning her stories into the 1998 
critically acclaimed one-woman show, One Good Nerve. Truly a 
trailblazer in her own right, Ruby Dee has played a vital role in the 
progression of the arts in our country.
  An actor, playwright, producer, screenwriter and director, the 
impressive career of Ossie Davis spans more than half a century. Having 
written and directed such memorable films and plays as 1970's Cotton 
Comes to Harlem and 1961's contentious exploration of segregation, 
Purlie Victorious, the works of Mr. Davis are long-lasting in depth and 
scope. A gifted actor, Ossie Davis has shown his versatile talents in a 
bevy of roles and memorable performances.
  In a time of limited opportunities for African-American actors, both 
Ms. Dee and Mr. Davis sprung from the Harlem cultural scene before 
meeting on Broadway and forging their legendary partnership, later on 
pledging their lives to one another as husband and wife. Together, 
Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee have appeared in more than 50 films, featured 
in several Spike Lee efforts, including Jungle Fever, Get on the Bus, 
School Daze and the classic Do the Right Thing. Also appearing in 
Malcolm X, Mr. Davis plays himself, reprising his passionate eulogy at 
the funeral of the slain civil rights leader.
  Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee have presided as vanguards of political 
activism. They have been tireless proponents of the civil rights 
movement in America as well as staunch opponents of the McCarthyism 
witch-hunts; the duo has unquestioningly worn the mantle of public 
defenders for the past several decades. They helped organize and then 
graced the dais of the first fundraising dinner held by the 
Congressional Black Caucus and gave us, in Ossie's speech, the 
direction we have since sought to follow. Ossie told us that ``It's not 
the man, it's the plan,'' and that admonition has sustained us and 
created an institution that has grown and prospered through many 
changes in leadership over the years.
  I am personally indebted to Ossie and Ruby for their many 
contributions to my own Harlem community, including Ossie's service as 
chairman emeritus of the Board of the Apollo Theater Foundation. 
Without their efforts, there is no question that our Nation would be 
less committed to the great moral challenges of our lifetime. The 
African-American community, as well as the country as a whole, owes 
them both a debt of gratitude.

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