[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 24 (Wednesday, March 1, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H461-H466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING AND PRAISING THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF
COLORED PEOPLE ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 97TH ANNIVERSARY
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree
to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 335) honoring and praising
the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the
occasion of its 97th anniversary.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 335
Whereas the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP), originally known as the National
Negro Committee, was founded in New York City on February 12,
1909, the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, by a
multiracial group of activists who answered ``The Call'' for
a national conference to discuss the civil and political
rights of African Americans;
Whereas the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People was founded by a distinguished group of
leaders in the struggle for civil and political liberty,
including Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, Henry Moscowitz,
Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villiard, and William
English Walling;
Whereas the NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights
organization in the United States;
Whereas the mission of the NAACP is to ensure the
political, educational, social, and economic equality of
rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and
racial discrimination;
Whereas the NAACP is committed to achieving its goals
through nonviolence;
Whereas the NAACP advances its mission through reliance
upon the press, the petition, the ballot, and the courts, and
has been persistent in the use of legal and moral persuasion,
even in the face of overt and violent racial hostility;
Whereas the NAACP has used political pressure, marches,
demonstrations, and effective lobbying to serve the voice, as
well as the shield, for minority Americans;
Whereas after years of fighting segregation in public
schools, the NAACP, under the leadership of Special Counsel
Thurgood Marshall, won one of its greatest legal victories in
the Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of
Education;
Whereas in 1955, NAACP member Rosa Parks was arrested and
fined for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in
Montgomery, Alabama--an act of courage that would serve as
the catalyst for the largest grassroots civil rights movement
in the history of the United States;
Whereas the NAACP was prominent in lobbying for the passage
of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, and 1964, the Voting
Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act, laws which
ensured Government protection for legal victories achieved;
and
Whereas in 2005, the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People launched the Disaster Relief
Fund to help survivors in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas,
Florida, and Alabama to rebuild their lives: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) recognizes the 97th anniversary of the historic
founding of the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People; and
(2) honors and praises the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its
anniversary for its work to ensure the political,
educational, social, and economic equality of all persons.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al
Green) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
General Leave
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on House Concurrent
Resolution 335 currently under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution
335, a resolution honoring the National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People on the occasion of its 97th anniversary.
This resolution recognizes that the NAACP has played an important
role in helping to ensure that our constitutional guarantees are
extended to all citizens.
Founded on the centennial of Republican President and Great
Emancipator Abraham Lincoln's birthday in 1909, the NAACP represents
America's oldest civil rights organization. Through members such as
Rosa Parks, who ignited the national civil rights movement, and former
Justice Thurgood Marshall, whose leadership led to the landmark legal
victory in Brown v. Board of Education, the NAACP has helped galvanize
efforts to promote the promise of equality that our Constitution
envisioned.
Through nonviolent means, the NAACP led the Nation's effort to seek
passage of the 1957, 1960, 1964, and 1968 civil rights acts.
Challenging Federal, State, and local officials and governments to
accord equal legal treatment to all citizens, the NAACP has sought to
promote racial equality in areas such as education, employment,
housing, and public facilities.
In 1965, the NAACP led the movement to seek passage of the Voting
Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant pieces of legislation
passed during the 20th century. Committed to extending the protections
of the 15th amendment and the Voting Rights Act to all African
Americans, the NAACP worked tirelessly to register tens of thousands of
new voters despite threats of violence. The NAACP has helped advance
each reauthorization effort, including in 1982, when I was privileged
to lead that bipartisan effort with my Democratic colleagues. I will
lead that bipartisan effort with my Democratic colleagues again this
spring when the Voting Rights Act is once again renewed.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to recognize the
NAACP for
[[Page H462]]
their contributions toward equality in America.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin. I especially thank
him for his kind words with reference to the NAACP and his indication
that he will lead the charge, in fact be a part of the avant garde,
with reference to extending the Voting Rights Act. I thank you for
this.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored that the House leadership has chosen to
bring House Concurrent Resolution 335 before this august body. This
resolution honors the 97th anniversary of the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People; and as I rise to the occasion, I
would like to thank those who have made the occasion possible.
First, I would like to thank Chairman Sensenbrenner, chairman of the
powerful Judiciary Committee. He has spoken eloquently. I thank you for
your kind words again; and I also want to, for the record, say you did
what you did not have to do, and for this, I thank you.
I would like to thank ranking member John Conyers, who is now the
dean of the conscience of the Congress. I thank you for helping us to
bring this piece of legislation to the floor of the House.
I would also like to take an opportunity and thank my good friend
Congressman Henry Hyde, who was the first to sign on to this
resolution. He gave his word, and I have learned that Henry Hyde's word
is his bond; and I thank Mr. Hyde.
Finally, my heartfelt thanks go out to all 67 of my colleagues who
cosponsored this resolution, as well as all who will support it, both
Democrats and Republicans alike.
Mr. Speaker, because I do not know where we would be but for the
NAACP, I cannot help but say thank God for the NAACP and the many other
persons of goodwill who have fought racial injustice, because, Mr.
Speaker, in our lifetime we can recall a time when racial injustice, as
someone has said, was accepted by the masses and expected by the
classes.
It was commonplace. It was every place. Politicians campaigned on it;
judges decreed it; lawyers practiced it; policemen enforced it;
preachers preached it; parents believed it; teachers taught it; and
children learned it. We were all consumed by it.
However, the NAACP and others of goodwill helped to change this, and
I am honored to say that this change has brought about significant
progress in this country for African Americans and other minorities.
Hence, it is desired that this resolution not only honor the NAACP as
an entity, but also the entire NAACP family and extended family,
including the many people of goodwill who were not black, who put
themselves in harm's way to end racial injustice.
We should never forget that the NAACP has not been, is not now, and
never shall be a black-only organization. The NAACP has always been a
multiracial organization. Yes, in remembering some of the great names
associated with the organization, we should remember that Dr. Louis T.
Wright became the first black board chair of the NAACP in 1935.
However, as we remember Dr. Wright, we ought not forget Oswald Garrison
Villiard who was not black, who in 1911 became the first chair of the
board of the NAACP. Before the NAACP had its first black board chair,
it had two that were not black.
We should remember James Weldon Johnson, who became the first black
executive secretary director of the NAACP. However, we should not
forget Francis Blascon, Mary White Ovington, Mary Nurney, Royall Nash.
All of these persons we might remember were not black and served before
James Weldon Johnson.
We should remember the brilliant black lawyer and Supreme Court
Justice, as the chairman has mentioned, Thurgood Marshall. However, we
should never forget Arthur Singarn who was not black. Arthur Singarn
donated money, he raised money, and he headed the NAACP Legal Redress
Committee. It has been said that Thurgood was a great litigator in part
because Singarn was a great donator. The NAACP annually awards its
highest honor in the name of Singarn.
We should remember Medgar Evers, the black NAACP field representative
who was assassinated in his front yard in 1963; but, please, let us not
forget John R. Shillady, the NAACP executive secretary who never
recovered from a mob beating in Austin, Texas, in 1919. He gave his
life in the fight for justice for all, and he was not black.
The point is, we did not get here by ourselves; and we thank God for
the many who were not black who helped us in our quest for justice.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman who I have announced earlier is
the conscience of the Congress and that, of course, is Congressman
Conyers. We thank you for being with us, Congressman.
(Mr. CONYERS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. CONYERS. Thank you, Mr. Green, for yielding just briefly to add
to your remarks. I am pleased to join with you and with the chairman of
Judiciary, James Sensenbrenner, in this 97th anniversary remembrance of
the greatest civil rights organization that we have in this country. I
can say to Congressman Green that your initiation of this resolution
recognizing the 97th anniversary of the NAACP could not be more timely.
I just want to add one name. We are all mentioning all of these names
in the course of 97 years. We are dealing with the most serious social
problem in America that has never yet been resolved that we have been
working on. We have a voter rights extension bill in the Committee on
the Judiciary about to come forward.
{time} 1330
We are bringing people together. We are working as hard as we can.
And I was just at a meeting yesterday in which I was reminded that we
have the likes of Ted Shaw of the Legal Defense Fund; Greg Moore, the
executive director of the National Voter Fund; and in Detroit we have
the largest branch in the United States, with a current membership of
more than 45,000 people, led by Reverend Wendell Anthony of Fellowship
Chapel. So all of this makes such a rich history.
And I am glad, now that we have done Black History Month, that we
have come along with this 97th anniversary resolution, because this
issue has to be studied every month. We have to examine where we are
and where we are going. And I am so pleased at all the Members on the
floor here and many others that will be submitting statements which
recognize the depth, the importance and the significance of a
resolution recognizing nearly 100 years of the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People in this long struggle, hard-fought
struggle that has promoted goodwill and tried to make America live up
to the promise of our constitutional democracy.
Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings).
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for his
leadership and for the leadership of Chairman Sensenbrenner, and to all
who celebrate the 97th anniversary of the NAACP.
Mr. Green earlier said that there were so many people who gave their
lives, gave their blood, sweat and tears, and he mentioned Medgar
Evers. But I just want to talk about another member of the NAACP, and
his name was Harry Moore. He was a devoted husband, father, educator,
and one of the first civil rights martyrs of our time. His tireless
efforts and unselfish sacrifice in the name of social justice continues
to inspire and empower Americans of all stripes, even now, over 50
years after his death.
Harry Tyson Moore was born in Houston, Florida, on November 18, 1905.
After his father's death, his mother sent her only son to live with his
three aunts in Jacksonville, Florida. In the prosperous and
intellectual community of Jacksonville, Mr. Moore cultivated his
intelligence and excelled. After graduating from Florida Memorial
College in 1925, he moved to Cocoa, Florida. He settled in Brevard
County teaching fourth grade at the only African American elementary
school in the area.
While there, he went on to meet his future wife, Hariette Simms. In
time,
[[Page H463]]
Mr. Moore became principal of the Titusville Colored School, which
taught children from the fourth to ninth grade. In March 1928 and
September 1930, the Moores welcomed two daughters into the world. With
his family and professional life in place, Mr. Moore began an
additional career in political activism.
In 1934, Mr. Moore founded the Brevard County branch of the NAACP. In
1937, by working with the Black Florida State Teachers Association and
NAACP attorney Thurgood Marshall, he was a catalyst towards the
movement of equalizing salaries of black and white teachers. Although
he lost the court battle, he would ultimately win the war. Make no
mistake, his actions inspired many others, and ultimately Mr. Moore
helped achieve pay parity among teachers of color with their white
counterparts.
I wish I had time to tell the entire story, but on one Christmas Eve
Mr. Moore and his family were blown to pieces because of his work in
the NAACP.
So many people never hear the name Harry Moore, but he was another
tireless fighter, lifting up the rights for all people, and he is one
of the people who make it possible for the Congressional Black Caucus
today to number some 43.
I thank the NAACP on its 97th anniversary and I urge all Members to
support this resolution.
Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume for one final statement.
In summary, Mr. Speaker, I would like to restate to a certain extent
some of what the chairman has said: that the NAACP has accomplished
great things for this country. The NAACP was involved in passing the
Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, and 1964. The NAACP was there to fight
and help pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act of
1968, and the NAACP filed and won Shelly v. Cramer, as well as Barrows
v. Jackson, outlawing restrictive covenants. The NAACP filed and won
Brown v. Board of Education, integrating schools and, to a certain
extent, integrating society.
And, Mr. Speaker, if truth be told, we are schooled where we are
schooled, we work where we work, we sleep where we sleep, we eat where
we eat, and we live where we live in great measure due to the NAACP.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, last summer, I was honored to be invited to address the
NAACP convention, which was held in Milwaukee, and I got a very good
reception in talking about reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act, which
my committee will be dealing with shortly, as well as overturning the
Supreme Court's erroneous decision in the case of Kelo v. City of New
London, Connecticut, which basically said that there were no
constitutional protections against a municipality using eminent domain
to take a person's private property simply because the city fathers and
mothers decided that there would be a way to get more tax revenue out
of that piece of land.
That bill has passed the House of Representatives and is currently
pending in the other body, and I hope we can have eminent domain reform
passed during this session of Congress, as well as the reauthorization
of the Voting Rights Act.
Mr. Speaker, I submit for inclusion at this point in the Record the
speech that I gave to the NAACP convention in Milwaukee on July 10,
2005.
Good evening. Thank you for this opportunity to talk
briefly about two important issues facing us right now: an
extension of the Voting Rights Act and the Supreme Court's
recent 5-4 decision in the Kelo case, which held that the
government can use ``economic development'' as a reason for
taking private property.
Among my proudest moments was accompanying members of the
NAACP and Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo for the signing of the
No FEAR Act, legislation that aims to stamp out
discrimination in federal agencies. The bipartisan passage of
No FEAR, the first civil rights legislation of the 21st
century, should serve as a model for future civil rights
bills.
On August 5,2005, the United States will celebrate the 40th
anniversary of one of the most significant pieces of
legislation enacted during the 20th Century--the Voting
Rights Act. This profound legislation pushed back against
those unwilling to treat all citizens as equals and restored
the dignity and equality that our Constitution is intended to
preserve for all citizens.
Our democratic system of government has as its most
fundamental right the right of its citizens to participate in
the political process. Adopted 135 years ago, the 15th
Amendment ensures that no American citizen's right to vote
can be denied or abridged by the United States or a State on
account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
As far too many here know and have experienced, some
government entities have not only been unfaithful to the
rights and protections afforded by the Constitution, but have
aggressively--and sometimes violently--tried to
disenfranchise African-American and other minority voters.
In his momentous speech delivered to Congress on March 15,
1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson stated, ``[e]xperience has
clearly shown that the existing process of law cannot
overcome systematic and ingenious discrimination. No law that
we now have on the books--and I have helped to put three of
them there--can ensure the right to vote when local officials
are determined to deny it. In such a case our duty must be
clear to all of us. The Constitution says that no person
shall be kept from voting because of his race or color. We
have all sworn an oath before God to support and to defend
that Constitution. We must now act in obedience to that
oath.''
Seeing the Voting Rights Act's impact compelled me in 1982
to lead the House Republican effort to extend it for 25
years. This effort wasn't easy--but then again, very
important things never are. While I proudly display in my
Washington office one of the pens President Ronald Reagan
used to sign this extension, the fruits of this effort can
best be seen on the faces of those not only participating in
the political process but actively leading it.
In the 1960s, all major civil rights legislation was passed
with strong bipartisan support. Lately, this has not been the
case as some have tried to use the issue of civil rights to
obtain a partisan advantage. This is both wrong and
shortsighted. The stakes have not been higher in the past 20
years.
In 2007, several key protections contained in the Voting
Rights Act will expire, including the federal oversight
protections provided by Section 5. I am here to tell you
publicly what I have told others privately, including the
head of the Congressional Black Caucus, Representative Mel
Watt--during this Congress we are going to extend the Voting
Rights Act. I am not alone in the Congress in supporting an
extension; indeed, House Speaker Dennis Hastert last week
stated that reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act is high
on his list of issues the House will address this Congress.
Soon I will be introducing legislation to extend the Voting
Rights Act. Just like its enactment and its 1982 extension,
this bipartisan effort will succeed. Ladies and gentlemen,
while we have made progress and curtailed injustices thanks
to the Voting Rights Act, our work is not yet complete. We
cannot let discriminatory practices of the past resurface to
threaten future gains. The Voting Rights Act must continue to
exist--and exist in its current form.
I also want to mention my strong opposition to the Supreme
Court's recent 5-4 decision in the Kelo case, which held that
the government can use ``economic development'' as a reason
for taking private property from one small homeowner and
giving it to a large corporation simply because the
corporation's greater wealth will bring the government more
tax revenue.
As the NAACP so correctly noted in its brief filed with the
Supreme Court in the Kelo case, ``The takings that result
[from the Court's decision] will disproportionately affect
and harm the economically disadvantaged and, in particular,
racial and ethnic minorities and the elderly.''
The noxious practice endorsed by the Court's Kelo decision
has generated bipartisan opposition. Last week, I introduced
H.R. 3135, the ``Private Property Rights Protection Act of
2005,'' with the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee,
Mr. Conyers, as the lead Democratic cosponsor, and
Representatives Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson-Lee, and 87
additional Members as original cosponsors.
This legislation would prevent the Federal government from
using economic development as a justification for taking
privately-owned property. It would also prohibit any State or
municipality from doing so whenever Federal funds are
involved with the project for which the government's takings
power is exercised.
American taxpayers should not be forced to contribute in
any way to the abuse of government power. One man's home must
not become a hotel or strip mall solely because the
government seeks more tax revenue. I am looking forward to
working with you and all organizations opposed to the Supreme
Court's Kelo decision. We must ensure that churches, homes,
farms, and other private property cannot be bulldozed in
abusive land grabs that benefit other private individuals,
who claim that their use of the land will increase tax
revenues.
Last week, America celebrated the 229th anniversary of her
independence. Let us all work towards the day--envisioned by
our Founders and affirmed by Frederick Douglass--in which the
rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and
independence bequeathed by our Founders is shared by all
Americans.
Ladies and gentlemen, I look forward to continuing to work
together and thank you for this opportunity to address you.
[[Page H464]]
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, as our Nation recognizes and celebrates
the 97th Anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People, NAACP, I rise today to pay homage to the momentous
contributions of the organization to our nation. In so doing, I would
like to highlight the life and legacy of one of its most impressive,
but relatively unknown leaders, Harry T. Moore.
Harry T. Moore was one of the first civil rights martyrs of our time.
A devoted husband, father, educator, his tireless efforts and unselfish
sacrifice in the name of social justice continue to inspire and empower
Americans of all stripes, even now, over 50 years after his death.
Harry Tyson Moore was born in Houston, Florida on November 18, 1905.
After his father's death his mother sent her only son to live with his
three aunts in Jacksonville, Florida. In the prosperous and
intellectual community of Jacksonville, Mr. Moore cultivated his
intelligence and excelled. After graduating from Florida Memorial
College in 1925, he moved to Cocoa, Florida. He settled in Brevard
County teaching fourth grade at the only African-American elementary
school in the area.
While there, he went on to meet his future wife, Hariette Vyda Simms.
In time, Mr. Moore became principal of the Titusville Colored School,
which taught children from the fourth to ninth grade. In March 1928 and
September 1930, the Moore's welcomed two daughters into the world. With
his family and professional life in place, Mr. Moore began an
additional career in political activism.
In 1934, Mr. Moore founded the Brevard County NAACP chapter. In 1937,
by working with the Black Florida State Teacher's Association and NAACP
attorney Thurgood Marshall, he catalyzed a movement to equalize the
salaries of Black and White teachers. Although he lost the court
battle, he would ultimately win the war. Make no mistake, his actions
inspired many others and ultimately, Mr. Moore helped achieve pay
parity among teachers of color and their White counterparts.
In 1941, he organized the Florida State Conference of the NAACP and
worked as an executive secretary without compensation. His platform
also broadened as he began to add his voice to issues such as Black
voting disenfranchisement, segregated education, and later in 1943,
lynchings and police brutality. He began to organize protests, and
write and circulate letters voicing his concerns about the issues.
He also organized the Progressive Voter's League and with his
persistence and diligence, in 1948, helped over 116,000 Black voters
register, which represented 31 percent of the African-American voting
population in the Florida Democratic Party. In 1946, due to his role in
the League, Mr. Moore and his wife were terminated from their jobs. Mr.
Moore then took on a full-time paid position as an organizer for the
NAACP. However, in 1949, over Mr. Moore's objection, the national NAACP
office raised the dues from $1 to $2, causing a substantial amount of
members to revoke their membership. This marked only the beginning of a
strained relationship between Mr. Moore and the national NAACP office.
During that same year, the landmark Groveland rape case occurred, in
which four African-American men were falsely accused of raping a White
woman. Although the men were brutally beaten and no evidence suggested
that the woman was raped, one of the men was killed, one was given a
life sentence, and the other two were sentenced to death.
With Mr. Moore's assistance in conjunction with the legal counsel of
the NAACP, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court and the conviction
for the two sentenced to death was overturned. However, Sheriff Willis
McCall, a known White supremacist, shot the two men to death as he was
driving them to their pre-trial hearing. Recognizing this tragic
injustice, Mr. Moore vigorously advocated for the indictment of Sheriff
McCall.
Sadly, Mr. Moore never lived to see the outcome of his work in this
case. On the eve of his 25th wedding anniversary and Christmas Day
1951, Mr. Moore and his wife were killed when a bomb placed underneath
their bed in the floor detonated. Mr. Moore died in his mother's arms
on the way to the hospital while Harriet died only nine days later.
Following the Moores' murder, there was a public outcry in the
African-American community. Despite massive amounts of mail sent to
President Truman and the Florida Governor in protest and the many
protests and memorials organized demanding justice, no arrests were
made in relation to the horrendous crime.
In no uncertain terms, Harry T. Moore led without permission, without
acknowledgment, and without fear. What made his vision so tangible was
the fact that he believed he could achieve what he set before himself.
In a speech his daughter gave in 2002, she stated, ``Daddy started the
movement. He had absolutely nobody but us, and yet he accomplished all
of those things--the voting, the teacher salaries all of the lynchings
that he investigated. That's a very important part of history.''
Mr. Speaker, Harry T. Moore's story is one of such importance as we
celebrate the 97th anniversary of the NAACP and reflect on the success
of its past and present leaders. Although the victories achieved by the
organization are historic, it should be understood that ordinary people
by the tens of thousands won our freedom.
For 97 years, the multi-racial membership of the NAACP--ordinary
people called to an extraordinary mission--have marched, demonstrated
and lobbied for justice in a movement for peaceful change felt in every
aspect of American life.
That is why we must celebrate and praise the NAACP and recall these
stories. For these stories are not only told to recall the achievements
of African-American trailblazers, but to offer the next Harry T. Moore,
W.E.B. Dubois, Ida Wells-Barnett, and Lena K. Lee the hope, promise,
direction, and purpose needed to rise from the ordinary to achieve the
extraordinary.
I shall conclude with an excerpt of the heartfelt words written by
Langston Hughes in memory of Harry T. Moore: In his heart is only love
For all the human race, And all he wants is for every man To have his
rightful place. And this he says, our Harry Moore, As from the grave he
cries: No bomb can kill the dreams I hold For freedom never dies!
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 335
and to thank my colleague, Mr. Green, for introducing this resolution.
It is important for all of us to honor the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 97th anniversary
for the many achievements that highlight their long and distinguished
history.
As a native of Baltimore and a lifetime member of the NAACP, this
resolution holds special importance for me. The NAACP has been
headquartered in Baltimore since 1986, continuing a long tradition of
civil rights prominence for the city. Thurgood Marshall, also a son of
Baltimore, was one of the NAACP's premier advocates and later our
nation's first African American Justice.
Founded in February 1909 by members of the Niagara Movement, the
NAACP has been a catalyst for America's evolution. Its founding members
included Ida Wells-Barnett, Henry Moscowitz, and William Edward
Burghardt DuBois. Their heroic efforts formed the foundation that
helped spark the Civil Rights Movement. They and future generations
confronted daily the evils of Jim Crow, and challenged more subtle but
equally pernicious forms of racial discrimination. The NAACP has led
efforts to construct a society based on equality, respect, and
understanding between all citizens. Its legislative accomplishments are
legendary--the 1957 Civil Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1960 and
1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the 1968 Fair Housing Rights
Act among them.
Over the years, the list of NAACP pioneers has included Walter White,
Charles Hamilton Houston, Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers, Elaine Jones, and
many thousands of other brave freedom fighters. The NAACP challenged
school segregation in Brown v. Board of Education, and residential
segregation in Buchanan v. Warley. It fought segregation in government
institutions, resulting in its eventual repeal. It defeated Supreme
Court nominations of those who would deny equal rights. It mobilized
voters in the South at a time when the very lives of their volunteers
were threatened. And it continues to shine a beacon of light for equal
justice.
But the NAACP represents so much more than these landmark laws and
court decisions; it represents a voice for change, a clarion call to
end the vicious and destructive stereotypes that too often still divide
rather than unite our country; and a vehicle for raising of the
collective consciousness of America.
Current President and CEO Bruce Gordon leads a strong and vibrant
association of more than half a million members, with seven regional
offices and hundreds of local branches, united in purpose.
For nearly a century, the NAACP has set the standard for effecting
meaningful social change. I am proud to congratulate the NAACP on this
97th anniversary, I look forward to its centennial, and I urge my
colleagues to unanimously support this resolution.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to recognize the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on its 97th
anniversary. The NAACP holds a very special meaning to me. One honor I
especially treasure is being named Virginia's first individual Golden
Heritage Life Member. That honor was a great addition to the honor of
having served as president of the Newport News chapter. The NAACP also
holds a special place in the collective memory of all of our people.
The NAACP is an organization that has made a difference from the very
beginning. In 1909, 60 prominent Americans, including Ida B. Wells-
Barnett and W.E.B. DuBois, met on the occasion of the 100th anniversary
of the
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birth of Abraham Lincoln to discuss racial violence and social justice.
Out of that meeting, the NAACP was born--with the goal of securing
rights, liberties and protections for all Americans, as guaranteed by
the Constitution.
The NAACP has always fought against injustices by using nonviolent
protests, the press, the ballot, and the courts. The NAACP took on the
President of the United States in 1918 and President Wilson finally
publicly condemned lynching. During World War I, the NAACP successfully
campaigned for African Americans to be commissioned as officers in the
army. And in World War II, the NAACP pressured Roosevelt into ordering
a non-discriminatory policy in war-related industries and Federal
employment.
In 1946, the NAACP won the Morgan v. Virginia case where the Supreme
Court banned states from having segregated facilities on buses and
trains that crossed state borders. And in 1948, the NAACP pressured
President Truman into signing the Executive Order that banned
discrimination in the armed forces. In 1954, the NAACP won its landmark
legal case--Brown v. the Board of Education--declaring ``separate and
equal'' unconstitutional.
Through the 50s and 60s protests made a lot of difference. In 1955,
NAACP member Rosa Parks was arrested and fined for refusing to give up
her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. This led to the
Montgomery bus boycott, which led to the emergence of Rev. Martin
Luther King, Jr. All of these events led to the passage of the 1964
Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, President Johnson's 1965
Executive Order banning employment discrimination in Federal contracts,
the 1968 Fair Housing Act, and other landmark civil rights reforms.
The NAACP is what the late Bishop Stephen Gill Spotswood, a former
National Board Chairman, has called ``the oldest, largest, most
effective, most consulted, most militant, most feared and most loved of
all civil rights organizations in the world.'' Bishop Spotswood's
statement remains true today.
In the 21st Century, the NAACP is needed as much as ever to make a
difference--at all levels--National, State and local. Despite victories
won long ago we are still facing challenges. In its 97th year, the
NAACP needs to continue its great legacy of contribution and commitment
to ensure that these hard-won civil rights will always be protected.
Congratulations on your 97th anniversary.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 335,
legislation that recognizes the 97th anniversary of the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and
acknowledges the many contributions of the NAACP in helping to create a
more equitable and just society.
The NAACP is the oldest civil rights organization in the United
States, and blazed the trail towards equal justice for all Americans.
The organization has consistently used nonviolent means to achieve its
goals, and, to this day, emphasizes dutiful civic participation as the
best way to promote and protect civil rights.
Ninety-seven years ago this month, a handful of intrepid Americans,
including W.E.B. DuBois, Ida Wells Barnett, Mary White Ovington, Oswald
Garrison Villiard, William English Walling, and Henry Moscowitz chose
to push America towards its highest ideals, forming the National Negro
Committee, which would later come to be known as the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 1954, the NAACP
achieved one of its greatest victories when the Supreme Court ordered
in the Brown v. Board of Education the desegregation of public schools
across the nation ``with all deliberate speed.'' The NAACP Special
Counsel who won this battle would go on to become one of America's
greatest legal minds, Justice Thurgood Marshall.
One year later, in 1955, Rosa Parks' refusal to yield her seat on a
segregated bus served as the impetus for the broader Civil Rights
Movement. Parks, a lifelong devotee to the Movement, was a member of
the NAACP. In its fight for equality for racial minorities, the NAACP
lobbied tirelessly for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These two laws served to enshrine for
all the cherished constitutional rights that too many had been deprived
of for too long, by redressing serious shortcomings in the morality of
our nation.
The NAACP continues to fight for the rights of Americans confined to
the corners of our society. As recently as last year, the NAACP created
the Disaster Relief Fund to aid those who suffered tremendously in the
wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The NAACP maintains active
branches nationwide, including one in the 12th District of New Jersey,
located in Trenton. I am proud of the NAACP members who live in my
Congressional District for the work they do to continue to advance the
struggle for civil rights in our country.
The NAACP has gracefully and tirelessly fought for the political,
social, economic, and educational rights of all Americans, and has
sought to ensure that our nation recognized the inalienable rights of
all citizens, regardless of race, class, or ethnicity. The enormity of
the NAACP's contributions is immeasurable, and I am proud to join with
my colleagues in supporting this resolution.
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, today we honor the 97th Anniversary of
the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Since the NAACP was founded on February 12, 1909, it has been committed
to achieving its goals through non-violence. As the oldest and largest
civil rights organization in the United States, NAACP's mission is to
ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of
rights for all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial
discrimination. Its half million adult and youth members throughout the
United States are the premier advocates for civil rights in their
communities.
This resolution allows us to acknowledge the efforts of the NAACP,
including its leadership in lobbying for the passage of landmark laws
such as the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, and 1964, the Voting
Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. In the aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina, the NAACP launched the Disaster Relief Fund,
which has raised almost $2 million to aid the survivors in Louisiana,
Mississippi, Texas, Florida, and Alabama. Once again, the NAACP is
helping individuals, families and communities in their efforts to
recover from disasters and build for the future.
We also celebrate the life, legacy and struggles of civil rights
pioneers. Recently, the nation suffered a tremendous loss with the
passing of Mrs. Coretta Scott King and Mrs. Rosa Parks, two phenomenal
women who were advocates for civil rights and aided in the mission of
the NAACP.
Today, the NAACP remains a valiant crusader for freedom and equality.
This anniversary is the occasion to celebrate a heroic past and great
achievements and to redouble our efforts for the future. We've come a
long way but we have many miles yet to go. I urge my colleagues to join
me in honoring the NAACP on its 97th Anniversary.
Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 335
which honors the NAACP on its 97th anniversary.
I rise because of the sacrifice of Goodman, Cheney and Schwerner,
Thurgood Marshall and Rosa Parks. I rise and stand on the shoulders of
Daisy Bates, Emmett Till and the great Medgar Evans. I rise because the
NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United
States and has been a force to be reckoned with in every stage of this
country's battle for racial equality.
They were there when four little girls died when the 16th Street
Baptist Church was bombed in Montgomery, AL. They were there with the
Little Rock Nine when they entered the doors of Central High in Little
Rock, AR. They were there fighting for equal educational opportunities
in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education.
And more recently, they were present during the battle to end
apartheid in South Africa and they continue to fight for increased
voter participation and human equality not only in this Nation, but
across the world.
These battles have been waged in the face of intense adversity and
widespread resistance, yet the NAACP has endured for 97 years.
Throughout the civil rights movement, freedom fighters proclaimed with
pride that they were ``card carrying members of the NAACP.'' They knew
then, as we know now, that the NAACP not only stands for equality, it
stands for justice, fairness and a better way of life.
We must not forget that the NAACP is the name but the organization is
comprised of people. Everyday people that have dedicated their lives to
making this world a better place.
So, in honoring the NAACP today, I also honor the people, of all
races, that have united as advocates for civil rights and human
equality.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to
honor the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on
its 97th anniversary. Following the violent race riots in Springfield,
IL, in 1909, Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, Mary
White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villiard, and William English Walling
came together in New York to form one of the oldest, largest and most
influential civil rights organizations in America.
These founders came together with the purpose of promoting and fully
recognizing the rights and equality given under the 13th, 14th, and
15th amendments to the Constitution. Today, the NAACP works to ensure a
society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no
racial hatred or racial discrimination.
The NAACP has influenced some of the greatest civil rights victories
of the last century, including: integration of schools and the Brown v.
Board decision, the Voting Rights Act, striking down segregation and
Jim Crow,
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the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, and hundreds of community and
grassroots initiatives.
Despite the advancements of the past 97 years under the leadership of
the NAACP, there is still much work to be done. In the Black community
we continue to see disproportionate numbers of African-Americans that
experience poverty, unemployment, and economic and social inequality.
The NAACP continues to promote new ideas and leadership in the fields
of educational and employment opportunities, ending health care
disparities, and economic empowerment.
The NAACP instilled in America a sense of consciousness, and
continues to do that today through the thousands of individuals who
have given not only their time, but their blood, sweat and tears,
towards equality and justice.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support House Concurrent
Resolution 335, which honors the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for their many achievements on
their anniversary.
For 97 years, the NAACP has led the fight for racial equality in
America. Although considerable progress has been made, there is still
so much more to be done.
The NAACP has battled for decades in order to change many negative
aspects of American society. They have helped people of all races,
nationalities and faiths unite on one premise, that all men and women
are created equal.
From W.E.B. DuBois to Thurgood Marshall to Bruce Gordon, the NAACP
has played an instrumental role in helping eliminate racial prejudice
and removing barriers of racial discrimination through the democratic
process.
H. Con. Res. 335 underscores the importance of the NAACP and how big
of a role they have played in evening the playing field for all
citizens, regardless of their race. I support of this important
resolution.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, this is a good resolution, I urge all
Members to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bradley of New Hampshire). The question
is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr.
Sensenbrenner) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 335.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was
agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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