[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 20, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1554-E1555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       MR. JOHN L. PROCOPE, PUBLISHER, ENTREPRENEUR, AND EXEMPLAR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 20, 2005

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding 
newspaper publisher and business entrepreneur who pursued a successful 
career in business while remaining rooted in the community and opening 
many doors of opportunity for others. Mr. John L. Procope was an 
important voice in Harlem politics, society, and education and his 
influence and impact was felt beyond his home community in the City of 
New York and the nation. He passed away on July 15, 2005.
  In 1971, John and a group of five co-owners bought the Amsterdam News 
in Harlem and

[[Page E1555]]

kept an important black newspaper alive and running in a community that 
needed and wanted to be kept abreast of events in Black America. 
Through his work as the paper's publisher, he ensured that the 
community was aware of issues of importance to them and knowledgeable 
on the events of the day.
  Through his ownership of the Amsterdam News, he worked to inform, 
educate, and activate a community which had suffered through difficult 
times and knew that to improve their stake in society they would have 
to be diligent on the issues. He did not stray from controversial 
topics or fail to express his opinions in the best interest of his 
community.
  Following the riots in reaction to the 1977 blackout in New York, 
John was outraged by the reaction of the black community and readily 
expressed his criticism of young alienated Blacks and the lack of black 
leadership in properly addressing the situation and providing hope for 
future generations. John would later head up the Emergency Aid 
Commission to provide grants to local businesses harmed by the looting 
that ensued from the blackout. He impressed upon the community and its 
political and social leadership the importance of building up and 
supporting local businesses, rather than tearing them down and 
destroying their economic ability.
  John Procope saw the value of investing in local businesses in our 
communities. He encouraged entrepreneurs to not only provide jobs to 
young people and the poor, but to provide opportunities to develop 
their skills and nurture their talents within the community. John and 
Ernesta, his wife, were strong advocates of the Fair Access to 
Insurance Requirements plan in 1968 and have continued to work in 
highly visible ways to address critical issues and to support 
humanitarian and cultural causes within the community.

  Though John passed away at the age of 82, he led a full and rewarding 
life. He championed the good causes, fought the right fights, and 
demanded the most of himself and others. I knew him as an exceptional 
individual and a trusted friend. The attached obituary from the New 
York Times (July 18, 2005) highlights the life story and 
accomplishments of Mr. Procope.

   John L. Procope, 82, Publisher of Black Newspaper in Harlem, Dies

       July 18, 2005.--John L. Procope, an entrepreneur and former 
     publisher of The New York Amsterdam News, died on Friday. He 
     was 82 and lived in Queens.
       The cause was complications from pneumonia, according to E. 
     G. Bowman Co., where he had served as chairman.
       Mr. Procope, a graduate of Morgan State University, was a 
     marketing and advertising executive at several companies 
     before he joined a consortium that bought The Amsterdam News, 
     a black newspaper based in Harlem, in 1971. He was one of six 
     co-owners of the newspaper when he succeeded Clarence B. 
     Jones as publisher in 1974.
       After the 1977 blackout and the resultant looting, Mr. 
     Procope broke the traditional restraint of vocal criticism 
     against other prominent blacks.
       He published a blistering front-page editorial that 
     contended that there was a ``massive vacuum of leadership in 
     the black communities across the city.''
       The editorial said that since black leaders ``hadn't 
     exercised real leadership prior to the blackout, there was no 
     established communication with our young people to use as a 
     base for communication when the looters began.''
       He was appointed chairman of the seven-member Emergency Aid 
     Commission, which disbursed about $3 million in grants to 
     businesses hurt by the looting.
       In the late 1970's, two co-owners of The Amsterdam News 
     tried to remove Mr. Procope as publisher, saying that 
     business contracts his wife, Ernesta G. Procope, had with the 
     city resulted in a conflict of interest--a contention the 
     Procopes denied.
       Mr. Procope left the newspaper in 1982 to focus on E. G. 
     Bowman, an insurance company that had been founded by his 
     wife that was one of the first major African-American-owned 
     businesses on Wall Street. The company's client list started 
     with underserved Brooklyn homeowners but grew to include 
     Fortune 500 companies.
       Mr. Procope and his wife were a driving force behind the 
     creation of the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements plan in 
     1968 to help make insurance available to all residents of New 
     York State. He and his wife were also highly visible in 
     political and philanthropic circles.
       In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sisters, Dr. 
     Jean Martin of Bloomfield, Conn.; and Jonelle Terrell of 
     Manhattan.

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