[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 130 (Wednesday, September 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H10095-H10097]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1200
PERCY SUTTON POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the bill (H.R. 954) to designate the facility of the United
States Postal Service located at 365 West 125th Street in New York, New
York, as the ``Percy Sutton Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 954
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PERCY SUTTON POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 365 West 125th Street in New York, New
York, shall be known and designated as the ``Percy Sutton
Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Percy Sutton Post Office Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Vermont (Mr. Welch) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Vermont.
General Leave
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on
H.R. 954.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Vermont?
There was no objection.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, I rise in support of H.R. 954, which designates the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 365 West 125th
Street in New York City as the Percy Sutton Post Office Building. This
measure, which has the support of the New York delegation, was
unanimously reported from our committee on July 19, 2007.
Madam Speaker, I have many remarks that I can make about Mr. Sutton,
somebody that I don't know but read about as a young man growing up in,
of all places, Massachusetts and then Vermont. But whatever I say is
not worth listening to when we have another member of the New York
delegation, remarkable in his own right, who actually knows Mr. Sutton
and I expect is going to share some of his good qualities and be
somewhat silent on anything else that may not be appropriate stories
about the interactions of these two terrific men.
So I am going to reserve my time, and when the appropriate moment
comes, allow the distinguished Member from New York to speak on behalf
of the merits of Mr. Sutton, where he will be forever commemorated by
having his name on a post office in the great city of New York.
Mr. WESTMORELAND. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield myself as much
time as I may consume.
Percy Sutton, a noted civil rights activist, lawyer and entrepreneur,
has had numerous achievements in his lifetime. Today we honor Percy
Sutton
[[Page H10096]]
with the naming of a post office in his hometown neighborhood of
Harlem, New York.
Born in 1920 in San Antonio, Texas, he was the youngest of 15
children raised in a family with strong values in education. He found
his niche at a young age with the Boy Scouts and rose to the rank of
Eagle Scout. He attended Prairie View A&M University, Tuskegee
Institute and Hampton Institute, and he earned his law degree from
Brooklyn Law School.
As a teenager, he learned to fly small planes and worked as a stunt
pilot at county fairs. Upon the U.S. involvement in World War II, he
enlisted with the Army Air Corps but was rejected because of his race.
Shortly after, he moved to New York where he was accepted into the
Corps and flew with the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. His military service
awarded him Combat Stars as an intelligence officer with the 332nd
Fighter Group's Black 99th Pursuit Squadron.
Percy Sutton gained national recognition during the 1950s and 1960s
as a close friend and lawyer to civil rights leader Malcolm X. Sutton
had moved to the Harlem area of Manhattan and formed his own law firm
with the help of his brother and a close friend. The area, as well as
his firm, quickly became associated with the civil rights movement and
current politics of the era.
Sutton ran unsuccessfully for public office, so he formed his own
Democratic organization with other notable Harlem community leaders
called the Harlem Clubhouse. He tried many cases during the 1960s
defending the rights of many fellow African Americans in the Southern
States. Still heavily interested in public service, he ran for and won
an election to serve in the New York State Assembly in 1964.
His political career continued through the years and ended in the
late 1970s. Over time and while still practicing law, he expanded his
business by buying a radio station, the famous Apollo Theater, a local
newspaper, and a cable television franchise.
Beyond his success in business, he has earned numerous awards for his
charitable, civil rights and business achievements. Therefore, it is
highly appropriate that we honor him with the naming of this post
office.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel).
(Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and
thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to support the naming
of this post office on 125th Street after Percy Ellis Sutton.
Madam Speaker, 125th Street is the economic corridor of the village
of Harlem. It is the exciting comeback of a community that is enjoying
the creation of jobs through the Empowerment Zone. But it is also where
our former President, Bill Clinton, has his offices and also one of the
institutions that is driving it, the Apollo Theater. It is there
because Percy Sutton brought it back from the ashes. So when tourists
come and they see this wonderful new community that has come back, they
will be able to look at our post office and maybe ask the question, but
who was Percy Sutton?
Not too long ago, the President of the United States, George Bush,
right here in the Capitol, gave the President's Congressional Gold
Medal to the Tuskegee Airmen. My brothers and sisters, every day that
we are fortunate enough to live in this great country, we fail to
realize that we are making history, especially those of us who are
honored to be elected.
As the House and Senate head toward getting the bill approved, with
the help of Senator Levin on the other side, the President spoke to
these people that sometime in 1941, black and as African American as
they were, were denied the opportunity to join the United States Army
Air Force in order to fight the enemies of the United States of
America.
Under great protest, they were allowed to try a pilot project in
Tuskegee in order to see whether the outrageous charges that they were
cowardly, that they couldn't learn, and they never would be able to
manipulate these fighter pilots were true. And while they shattered all
of the myths and turned out to be one of the most decorated outfits
that survived World War II, the President, as he looked at them right
here in Statuary Hall, reminded them that he knew that even though they
became officers, that many of the enlisted men refused to return the
salutes to them because of prejudice, racism and discrimination.
But the President said that, on behalf of the people of the United
States of America, allow him to salute them. It was so moving. There
wasn't a dry eye in the whole group as these warriors, these courageous
fighter pilots that have done so much for this country, were able to
hear the present Commander in Chief and President of the United States
thank them.
So, in a way we are privileged by naming this post office not to be
able to thank each and every one of the Tuskegee Airmen, but to thank
at least one of them that comes from the village of Harlem, that you
would say that our ``thank you'' may not be a salute from the Commander
in Chief, but we are saying thank you for having confidence in this
country and having confidence in this democracy and giving us a chance
to honor Percy Sutton.
He came back home, got involved in the NAACP, got involved in
politics, became an assemblyman, became a borough president and became
a well-known business person. But no matter what part of the United
States you come from, we have to take time out to thank those of us who
made the sacrifice, and Percy Sutton is one of them.
So I am glad that this committee has come together to pay tribute to
him, because by doing this, we pay tribute to ourselves and for those
people who we don't know their names but have made sacrifices, so that
we could have the honor to serve this great country.
Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers at this
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume for a closing remark.
Percy Sutton was the embodiment of the American Dream, and he did it
as a man who grew up with the kind of prejudice that the chairman just
alluded to. It is just an honor, I think, for all of us to have the
kind of inspiration that a person like Percy Sutton has provided to our
country, service in the military, and really the most decorated service
unit in the whole war and accomplishing that against enormous
obstacles. People didn't want them to serve, yet they did, and they had
confidence in us and our country despite the fact many in our country
did not have confidence or even respect for them.
Then his array of accomplishments in politics, as a civic leader, a
commitment to this community. Harlem, which the chairman called a
village, at many other times had really tough times, and this man had
confidence that this community and the people in it had as much a
future as any other American. He then acted with the skills that he
possessed, the energy that he had, and made Harlem into what is now, a
very vital community in the City of New York.
So the Committee on Government Operations, with support from both
sides of the aisle, is very proud to be bringing to the House for its
full consideration the naming of this post office in honor of a great
American.
Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote
for H.R. 954, a bill I introduced to designate the post office located
at 365 West 125th Street in Harlem as the Percy Sutton Post Office
Building. I express sincere thanks to Chairman Henry Waxman and Ranking
Member and Member Tom Davis of the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform as well as Chairman Danny Davis and Ranking Member
Kenny Merchant of the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce Postal Service,
and District of Columbia for their support of this bill. It is
appropriate to designate the post office in Mr. Sutton's honor because
he worked at a New York post office as a clerk while attending law
school.
Percy Sutton, my very dear friend, was born the youngest of fifteen
children on November 24, 1920 in San Antonio, Texas. His family owned
land, a farm, and a funeral home. His entrepreneurial spirit was
developed while working for the family businesses as a youngster. He
was educated at Prairie View A & M University, Tuskegee Institute,
Hampton University, and Brooklyn College Law School.
[[Page H10097]]
His career as a public servant began in 1941, when he was selected to
work in Army Intelligence during World War II as a member of the
Tuskegee Airmen. Just prior to that selection, he was not allowed to
fly fighter planes for the Army Air Corps because of racial
discrimination. Despite being subjected to racial discrimination, he
was committed to serve his country.
After an honorable discharge from the Army, he decided to study law.
To support himself while attending law school, he worked for the United
States Post Office in New York as a clerk during the evening shift and
later as a conductor in the New York City subway system. He maintained
this schedule for 3 years. His dedication to finish law school still
inspires me today.
Motivated to fight racial discrimination, he represented the
controversial revolutionary Malcolm X and other activists during the
civil rights era. He also served as president of the New York chapter
of the NAACP. His commitment to fight for justice and equality for
African Americans was bold and admirable.
A strong interest in politics led him to campaign for the New York
State Assembly several times. Finally, in 1964, he was elected and
served for two years. Immediately thereafter he became the president
for the Borough of Manhattan and remained in that role until 1977.
As an entrepreneur, his love of business and his Harlem community led
him to purchase and totally revitalize the legendary Apollo Theatre in
1980. As the Harlem business district has flourished, the Apollo
Theatre remains a community landmark and symbol. Another successful
business venture he created is the Inner City Broadcasting Company,
which housed the first African American owned radio station in New
York. Today, there are nineteen radio stations in the Inner City
network.
On March 29, 2007, I had the honor and privilege to see Percy Sutton
honored with the Congressional Gold Medal along with over 300 other
Tuskegee Airmen. It was a great day to see him and other African
American veterans finally get the recognition that was so long overdue.
Percy Sutton is a great American and living legend. I'm certain
America is a better place because of his contributions. Designating the
post office building in Harlem is a great way to keep his legend alive
for years to come. Since he is 86 years old and his health is fragile,
I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I thank my New York
delegation colleagues for cosponsoring this bill.
Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 954.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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