[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 49 (Monday, May 1, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E669-E670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DUBOIS CIRCLE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 1, 2006

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th 
Anniversary of the Dubois Circle. In its 100th year, this 
organization's legacy of empowerment for women and African Americans 
continues to serve as a reminder that even a few devoted individuals 
can contribute to the fulfillment of America's promise of equity, 
justice, and freedom.
  In 1905, William Edward Burghardt Dubois, known to many as W.E.B. 
Dubois, organized a meeting at the Lyric Theatre in Baltimore, 
Maryland, of 29 African American ministers, educators, and other 
professionals to form an organization known as the Niagara Movement--an 
organization founded to address the social, political, and economic 
injustices faced by African Americans. The Niagara Movement continued 
until 1910, when it became the foundation for the National Association 
for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
  It was in this climate that the Dubois Circle came into being. A 
group of African American women in Baltimore, Maryland, were specially 
selected by Dr. Garnet Waller, a founder of the Niagara Movement, to 
serve on a special auxiliary committee as hostesses for a meeting. On 
January 6, 1906, this special committee of talented young women grew to 
become a stand alone African American women's organization named the 
Dubois Circle. Not only did the name honor the revered writer and 
activist W.E.B. Dubois, but it also served as a declaration of the 
ideals and purpose for which the group was founded.
  At a time when women did not yet enjoy the full benefits of 
citizenship such as the right to vote, this group of trailblazing women 
would not be relegated to the sidelines of civic engagement. They met 
frequently to discuss local, national, and global issues and how they 
could affect them. To carry out a wide range of programs that covered 
topics from race to business, the members themselves often served as 
researchers, reporters, editors, and commentators.
  Throughout its history, the Dubois Circle has remained focused on 
addressing racial problems in our society. This commitment has demanded 
its involvement in issues tied to education, the media, mental health, 
and youth delinquency.
  The Circle has achieved many impressive successes on these fronts. 
For instance, in 1949, the Circle sent a letter to the Maryland 
Governor and Commissioner of Higher Education urging the University of 
Maryland system to open its graduate departments to African Americans. 
Because of these efforts and

[[Page E670]]

the sacrifice and commitment of countless others, the University of 
Maryland system ultimately implemented a policy of integration that 
extended to all levels of the institution.
  To achieve these goals and others, the Dubois Circle associated 
itself with various distinguished women's groups, and in the 1980s 
officially became a life member of the NAACP. The NAACP recognized 
then, as we do today, the importance of the Dubois Circle in both the 
African American and women's communities in Maryland and throughout the 
nation.
  Mr. Speaker, the Dubois Circle was born 100 years ago to help cleanse 
the stain of discrimination from our national character and it 
continues to be relevant to that worthwhile effort even today. The 
Dubois Circle teaches us that if we draw on the strength within--and 
add to that strength a committed spirit--we can accomplish no less than 
greatness.

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