[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 30, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A TRIBUTE TO REVEREND JAMES S. ALLEN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT A. BRADY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 29, 2008

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my dear 
friend, Rev. James S. Allen, in honor of his 30th anniversary as pastor 
of the Vine Memorial Baptist Church of Philadelphia. Reverend Allen has 
carried the torch for human rights throughout his career and has 
brought that same passion to his ministry in Philadelphia. Through his 
work, he has touched the lives of numerous members of my community and 
continues to be a blessing to all those who encounter him.
  Born in rural Arkansas, Reverend Allen was a firsthand witness to the 
injustices of racial segregation. The young Reverend Allen walked 4 
miles both ways to his segregated three-room schoolhouse every day, and 
in spite of the challenge, he went on to become valedictorian of his 
high school's graduating class. After Reverend Allen joined the United 
States Air Force and honorably served in the Korean War until 1956, he 
returned home to the ever burgeoning issue of racial equality and 
discovered his life's calling in the ministry. When the integration 
orders handed down in Brown v. Board of Education were jeopardized, 
Reverend Allen joined the fight to uphold its central purpose of racial 
equity. The day that President Eisenhower ordered military troops into 
Little Rock to ensure its desegregation, Reverend Allen, with the same 
thought in mind, enrolled at the Arkansas Baptist College.
  As a champion of human rights, Reverend Allen has made his mark in a 
number of places. He assisted Dr. Leon Sullivan in planning the first 
and second African American Summits and has worked extensively with the 
Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America Incorporated to help 
members of his community find and maintain jobs. Reverend Allen has 
served in numerous leadership positions for various organizations. Most 
notable has been his service as vice-president of National Baptist 
Congress of Christian Education and as the first president of the Black 
Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity. Reverend Allen also served as a 
special assistant to the first African American mayor of Philadelphia, 
W. Wilson Goode. Currently, Reverend Allen serves as the chairman of 
the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations. Above his charitable 
contributions to the community at large, he is also a loving husband, 
father, and grandfather.
  Madam Speaker, Reverend Allen has been a minister for 51 years, 30 of 
which have been at the Vine Memorial Baptist Church of Philadelphia. He 
has served the people of many cities, making a lasting impact 
everywhere he has been. As a valued member of my community, I ask that 
you and my other esteemed colleagues join me in congratulating Reverend 
Allen on this occasion of achieving 30 years of pastoral excellence in 
Philadelphia and a growing legacy of human rights successes.

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