[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 137 (Monday, September 17, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING NATIONAL HBCU WEEK

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                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 17, 2007

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this 
opportunity to celebrate National Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities week, which took place the second week of September. It is 
a pleasure to recognize HBCUs because, had it not been for a 
historically Black college, I would not be here today. Not only have 
HBCUs made a positive impact on and provided a rich heritage to me and 
my family's lives, they lay a foundation for many men and women of 
color.
  At the age of 16, I left home to attend what was then Arkansas A&M 
College at Pine Bluff, later named the University of Arkansas at Pine 
Bluff. Following in my footsteps were six of my siblings, three 
nephews, one niece, and a half dozen first cousins. As an HBCU alumnus, 
I share a history with many notable and honored leaders within our 
country. W.E.B. Du Bois, who is considered the father of sociology due 
to his thesis called ``Study of the Philadelphia Negro,'' attended Fisk 
University in Nashville, TN. The education and training that Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr., received at Morehouse College, located in Atlanta, 
GA, surely worked together with his experiences in the Black church to 
develop his incredible eloquence and keen analysis of social problems. 
Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Chief Justice of the United States 
Supreme Court, attended Lincoln University in Chester, PA, which is 
known as the first historically Black college founded in 1854.
  As an HBCU graduate, I know firsthand the needs and values of these 
institutions. This is why I am especially proud that during this HBCU 
week, Congress can say it provided $170 million in grants for HBCUs 
over the next 5 years via the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. 
All 99 HBCUs that currently receive Federal funds will benefit from 
these new resources to strengthen their capacity to continue the 
tradition of developing Black talent into leadership. Indeed, I benefit 
from the leaders produced by these institutions given that at least 
four members of my staff had the privilege of attending an HBCU.
  HBCUs are not only necessary for individuals who come from certain 
economic backgrounds, they contain a great deal of history and culture. 
The College Cost Reduction Act will enhance our ability to keep these 
institutions alive and vibrant. I am pleased that we can celebrate 
these new resources during this recent HBCU week.

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