[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 73 (Friday, June 9, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H3709]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SALUTE TO THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR METROPOLITAN OPEN HOUSING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 40th 
anniversary of Reverend Martin Luther King's northern campaign. In 
January of 1966, Dr. King and his family moved to Chicago's west side, 
not far from where I was living and working at the time. Chicago was 
one of the most segregated cities in the Nation, and real estate agents 
were deeply engaged in racial steering and block busting. Beginning in 
July of 1966, Dr. King organized a series of marches demanding open 
housing. To the shame of Chicago and the Nation, marches were met by 
shouts of ``White Power,'' bricks, and even bombs.
  Mr. Speaker, those who have been reading the Taylor Branch three-
volume biography of Dr. King will be reminded of one of the great 
ironies of our time. We know less about Dr. King's stay in Chicago than 
almost any other period of his life because, for some reason, the FBI 
was relatively unsuccessful in bugging Dr. King's communications in 
Chicago. One of the things we do know for certain was that although the 
northern campaign was deemed a failure by many, it gave birth to one of 
America's great fair housing organizations, the Leadership Council for 
Metropolitan Open Communities.
  For 40 years, the Leadership Council has fought the good fight, 
seeking equality and justice for families who just wanted equal access 
to the housing market, just wanted a fair shot at finding a decent, 
affordable place to stay of their own choosing. The Leadership Council 
made it possible for more than 10,000 public housing families to 
improve their housing situation as a result of a Federal court 
settlement with the Chicago Housing Authority.
  They relentlessly pursued housing discrimination in the courts 
through a program of testing. They trained tens of thousands of real 
estate agents in fair housing law. And though much remains to be done 
in the arena of fair housing, the Leadership Council is now preparing 
to close its doors due to lack of funding. These are indeed hard times 
for nonprofits in general, but fair housing advocates tell us that they 
have been hit particularly hard.
  Mr. Speaker, the Leadership Council left a little of their vision 
wherever they ventured, even here in the people's House, where they 
helped to lead the grass-roots movement which led to passage of the 
Federal Fair Housing Act.
  Mr. Speaker, the Leadership Council will be missed but not forgotten. 
They leave a proud legacy and can retire with their heads held high. 
Their resolve and their work will live on as other organizations and 
individuals pick up where they left off. And although they are closing 
their doors and going out of business, I say to them and all of those 
who were associated, A job well done.

                          ____________________