[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 14 (Thursday, February 10, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E218]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF MRS. DeLOIS JACKSON WILKINSON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM COOPER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 10, 2005

  Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, as we observe Black History month, I rise 
today to celebrate the remarkable life of Mrs. DeLois Jackson Wilkinson 
of Nashville, Tennessee. Mrs. Wilkinson was a physical therapist, 
school board member and local community activist. Often referred to as 
``Miss Civil Rights,'' she was among the many brave leaders who 
participated in the civil rights movement to make this country a better 
place not only for black Americans, but for all citizens. When she 
passed away on Saturday, January 29, 2004 at the age of 80, our country 
lost a dedicated advocate and a dear friend.
  Mrs. Wilkinson's energy, passion, and perseverance endeared her to 
all. Born in Fayette County, Tennessee in 1924, Mrs. Wilkinson was one 
of eight children. She attended Lemoyne College in Memphis and 
graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She moved 
to Nashville, Tennessee, where she became a physical therapist at 
Meharry Medical College. She and her husband, Fred Wilkinson, had five 
children whom they raised during the tumultuous civil rights era and 
whom they struggled to protect from the harsh realities of life in the 
South.
  Frustrated by the inequalities of segregation, Mrs. Wilkinson worked 
hard to ensure that she, her children and other black Americans would 
some day experience the joys of true freedom. She often told a story 
about going to a downtown department store in Nashville with her young 
son and passing a restaurant with a play area set up for children. Her 
son desperately wanted to go in, but to shield him from the harsh truth 
that he was not allowed, she simply told him that they were in too much 
of a rush. Mrs. Wilkinson recalled years later that she hated having to 
lie to her son. Fueled by her desire for equal rights, she helped 
organize sit-in demonstrations at downtown Nashville lunch counters, 
and in 1963 and 1983, she participated in the historic civil rights 
marches on Washington, DC.
  As a member of the Board of Education in Nashville, Mrs. Wilkinson 
advocated for quality education for all children. When asked to serve 
as a board member, she said that the question of ``why Johnny can't 
read needs to be answered.'' Because ``Johnny does not teach himself,'' 
she stressed the responsibility of the school board, administration and 
teachers to ensure that ``Johnny'' and others had access to a proper 
education.
  A tireless advocate, Mrs. Wilkinson devoted a lifetime to improving 
the lives of others. As we celebrate Black History Month, who better to 
recognize than Mrs. Wilkinson--an extraordinary Nashvillian who 
provided energy and a sense of purpose to her community, compassion and 
hope to the poor and sick, and promise for a better future to the 
repressed.
  On behalf of the fifth district of Tennessee, I send my deepest 
condolences to Mrs. Wilkinson's family and loved ones. May we all take 
to heart the philosophy she lived by--that ``every person should 
contribute positively during their lifetime to the betterment and 
spiritual life on earth. ``

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