[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 19 (Friday, February 18, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1709-S1710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate 
Black History Month.
  This month celebrates the accomplishments of African Americans, 
honors the tremendous sacrifices they have made to promote the strength 
of our great nation, and recognizes their enormous contributions to our 
diverse American culture.
  Black History Month is a time to reflect on the accomplishments and 
heroes of the past, as well as a time to salute the leaders of today.
  The first Negro History Week took place in 1926 and was coordinated 
by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the son of former slaves, the second African 
American ever to earn a PhD from Harvard University, and founder of the 
Journal of Negro History. Dr. Woodson's goal was to raise awareness of 
and funding for the study of black culture and history in America.
  The second week of February was chosen for Negro History Week to 
honor the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln, who promulgated the 
Emancipation Proclamation, and Frederick Douglass, one of the most 
prominent black abolitionists.
  In 1972 Negro History Week was changed to Black History Week to 
reflect the changing social attitudes toward race in America, and in 
1976 February officially became Black History Month.
  The theme of this year's Black History Month is ``The Niagara 
Movement: Black Protest Reborn, 1905-2005.''

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  The Niagara Movement was the forerunner to the National Association 
for the Advancement of Colored People. It was founded in 1905 by a 
group of black intellectuals, led by W.E.B. DuBois, John Hope, and 
William Monroe Trotter, who called for full civil liberties, an end to 
racial discrimination, and recognition of human brotherhood.
  In my home State of California, you will find many African American 
leaders who have contributed to the legacy set forth by the Niagara 
Movement. They are true humanitarians and epitomize the ideals of the 
civil rights movement.
  I would first like to recognize Roy Willis, a resident of my hometown 
of San Francisco, for his 35 years of history-making contributions to 
California and over 45 years of service to our nation as a civil rights 
pioneer.
  In 1958, Roy Willis ended racial segregation at the University of 
Virginia by becoming its first African American student.
  In 1967, he went on to Harvard Business School to earn his MBA. While 
at Harvard he organized and co-founded the Harvard Business School 
African American Student Union over strenuous objection from the 
school's administration. Despite their objections, the AASU was able to 
convince the administration that it needed to do much more to recruit 
African American students.
  Thanks to the pioneering efforts of Mr. Willis, the Harvard Business 
School AASU has helped to graduate thousands of African American MBAs 
over the past 36 years. It has produced many of today's brightest 
leaders, and continues to create the leaders of tomorrow.
  Roy moved to northern Californian after earning his MBA in 1969. In 
the early 1970s he became one of the founding members of BAPAC, the 
Black American Political Association of California, which has become 
one of California's largest and most effective organizations in the 
areas of voter registration, homeownership and economic development.
  He has enjoyed a successful career in real estate development, and 
dedicates himself to creating projects that enhance the community.
  The next great Californian I would like to recognize is Bishop Hamel 
Hartford Brookins, better known as Bishop H. H. Brookins.
  He is truly a living legend. Bishop Brookins ascended to positions of 
international leadership as a champion of black political and economic 
empowerment, Third World liberation, business enterprise development, 
and church growth.
  After graduating from the University of Kansas, Bishop Brookins was 
thrust into the civil rights arena in 1954 in the wake of hostile 
reactions by Wichita citizens to the historical Supreme Court decision, 
Brown vs. the Board of Education. Bishop Brookins organized and was 
elected President of a 200 member interracial ministerial alliance 
which was committed to the peaceful effective implementation of the 
desegregation decision. From Kansas, Bishop Brookins was appointed to 
the prestigious First AME Church of Los Angeles where he was a major 
force in quelling the Watts riots of 1965.
  At the 1972 General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal 
Church, he was elected 91st Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal 
Church. His assignments as Bishop have taken him across the country and 
around the world.
  One of his biggest accomplishments has been establishing the first 
modern day economic development program in the African Methodist 
Episcopal Church. Under his inspired leadership, church members have 
invested more than $1,000,000 in ``The People's Trust Fund,'' which 
provides loans to black entrepreneurs who have been denied bank loans, 
enables churches to obtain loans at reduced rates, provides 
scholarships to black theology students, and assists the elderly and 
indigent with emergency funds.
  Outside the church, Bishop Brookins demonstrates his zealous concern 
for meaningful social action through his Chairmanship of the Board of 
Directors of the South Los Angeles Development Corporation, a $6 
million state funded job training program which has successfully placed 
more than 4,000 black teenagers in jobs in the electronics and word 
processing fields. In addition, he is one of the founding members of 
Operation PUSH and has served as a national board member of 
TransAfrica, an organization that lobbies on behalf of African and 
Third World countries.
  Bishop Brookins is a local hero in Los Angeles. Because of his 
passion for social justice and racial equality, African Americans in 
the City of Los Angeles have moved forward in the areas of housing, 
public education, health, and unemployment.
  The story of struggles and triumphs of African Americans cannot be 
told without including the pastor of the First African Methodist 
Episcopal Church of Los Angeles, the Rev. Cecil L. ``Chip'' Murray.
  In 1977 Dr. Murray was assigned to First AME Church, the oldest black 
church in Los Angeles. His new church family had 300 active members 
when he arrived, but under his leadership the congregation has 
multiplied to over 17,000 members.
  Reverend Murray has helped First AME Church to develop a program 
called ``Beyond the Walls,'' which consists of close to 40 task forces 
that help deal with issues affecting the congregation and community as 
a whole. Each member joins a task force to help take the effort to 
every corner of the community.
  Dr. Murray has exhorted his congregation to go beyond Bible studies 
and reach out to build 2,000 units of low-income housing, provide 
thousands of jobs, expand neighborhood food programs and educate young 
people through college scholarships and its own elementary schools.
  Though Reverend Murray retired last year, ending his illustrious 27-
year tenure as leader of First AME Church, he has left an indelible 
mark on the community.
  Each of these leaders has made a profound impact which reaches far 
beyond their local communities. They are just a few of the many who 
have given their blood, sweat, and tears to make America a better place 
for themselves and for their children.
  They have had many successes, but the struggle is not over. We can 
always do better, and these heroes fight every day to continue the 
legacy of the civil rights movement and to make America a more perfect 
union.
  Mr. President, I am pleased to take the time today during Black 
History Month to honor these individuals and the many tremendous 
contributions that African Americans make every day to our 
society.

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