[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 102 (Friday, June 22, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN MEMORY OF ANDREW GOODMAN, JAMES CHANEY AND MICHAEL SCHWERNER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ROBERT WEXLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 21, 2007

  Mr. WEXLER. Madam Speaker, I rise today before the House to honor the 
memory of 3 young men: Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael 
Schwerner. Forty-three years ago, today, these young men paid the 
ultimate price when they were ruthlessly murdered by those who wished 
to silence their outcry for equality.
  On June 21, 1964, in Neshoba County, Mississippi, Goodman, Chaney and 
Schwerner were pulled over and subsequently arrested for allegedly 
speeding. After being denied their basic rights as prisoners, they were 
fined $20 and released. But Mississippi in 1964 was a dangerous place 
for civil rights workers; they were followed and assaulted by a group 
of Ku Klux Klan members. The young activists were never seen alive 
again.
  The summer of 1964 became known as Freedom Summer. Students from 
around the country were united in a single vital struggle against 
racial inequality. Over 1,000 young volunteers traveled to Mississippi 
that summer with the intention of registering African American voters. 
They defied the local authorities, who were determined to undermine 
their efforts and succeeded in establishing dozens of quality summer 
schools and registering thousands of voters.
  These volunteers came for various reasons. Some, like Schwerner and 
Goodman, came to Mississippi from the North to express their commitment 
to social justice. Others, like Chaney, volunteered because they were 
dedicated to the improvement of their own community. However, the 
unlikely trio of 2 New York Jews and an African American from the South 
were united in their unwavering devotion to ensure civil rights for 
all.
  Even today, we must continue in the struggle for universal civil 
rights, as our society is not yet free from bigotry and injustice. The 
terrible murders of Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner 
acted as sparks that further ignited the passion of everyday Americans 
to take a public stand against prejudice. As we remember these heroes 
of the civil rights movement, we must also aspire to emulate their 
tireless commitment to fairness and equality.
  Madam Speaker, I hope Americans today will remember the sacrifices of 
these 3 young men to underscore our commitment to the continuing 
efforts towards achieving the full potential of our great Nation.

                          ____________________