[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H1111-H1116]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE NAACP ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 35) honoring and
praising the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People, NAACP, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:
H. Con. Res. 35
Whereas the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (referred to in this resolution as the
``NAACP''), originally known as the National Negro Committee,
was founded in New York City on February 12, 1909, the
centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, by a multiracial group
of activists who met in a national conference to discuss the
civil and political rights of African-Americans;
Whereas the NAACP was founded by a distinguished group of
leaders in the struggle for civil and political liberty,
including Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, Henry Moscowitz,
Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, and William
English Walling;
Whereas the NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights
organization in the United States;
Whereas the mission of the NAACP is to ensure the
political, educational, social, and economic equality of
rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and
racial discrimination;
Whereas the NAACP is committed to achieving its goals
through nonviolence;
Whereas the NAACP advances its mission through reliance
upon the press, the petition, the ballot, and the courts, and
has been persistent in the use of legal and moral persuasion,
even in the face of overt and violent racial hostility;
Whereas the NAACP has used political pressure, marches,
demonstrations, and effective lobbying to serve as the voice,
as well as the shield, for minority Americans;
Whereas after years of fighting segregation in public
schools, the NAACP, under the
[[Page H1112]]
leadership of Special Counsel Thurgood Marshall, won one of
its greatest legal victories in the Supreme Court's decision
in Brown v. Board of Education, 374 U.S. 483 (1954);
Whereas in 1955, NAACP member Rosa Parks was arrested and
fined for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in
Montgomery, Alabama--an act of courage that would serve as
the catalyst for the largest grassroots civil rights movement
in the history of the United States;
Whereas the NAACP was prominent in lobbying for the passage
of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, and 1964, the Voting
Rights Act of 1965, the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta
Scott King, Cesar E. Chavez, Barbara C. Jordan, William C.
Velasquez, and Dr. Hector P. Garcia Voting Rights Act
Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006, and the Fair
Housing Act, laws that ensured Government protection for
legal victories achieved;
Whereas in 2005, the NAACP launched the Disaster Relief
Fund to help survivors in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas,
Florida, and Alabama to rebuild their lives;
Whereas in the 110th Congress, the NAACP was prominent in
lobbying for the passage of H. Res. 826, whose resolved
clause expresses that: (1) the hanging of nooses is a
horrible act when used for the purpose of intimidation and
which under certain circumstances can be criminal; (2) this
conduct should be investigated thoroughly by Federal
authorities; and (3) any criminal violations should be
vigorously prosecuted; and
Whereas in 2008 the NAACP vigorously supported the passage
of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007
(28 U.S.C. 509 note), a law that puts additional Federal
resources into solving the heinous crimes that occurred in
the early days of the civil rights struggle that remain
unsolved and bringing those who perpetrated such crimes to
justice: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the historic
founding of the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People; and
(2) honors and praises the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its
anniversary for its work to ensure the political,
educational, social, and economic equality of all persons.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Johnson) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
General Leave
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, today we honor the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People, the Nation's oldest and largest civil
rights organization, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, for a
century of unwavering commitment to justice and equality for all.
The NAACP, founded on February 12, 1909, by Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B.
DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villiard
and William English Walling was indeed a labor of diversity.
Since its inception, the NAACP has united students, laborers,
professionals, scholars, officials and others of all races to advance
its vision of a society in which all individuals have equal rights and
there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.
Historically, the NAACP may be best known for Thurgood Marshall's
successful advocacy leading to the watershed 1954 Brown v. Board of
Education decision, in which the Supreme Court held that separate
educational facilities are inherently unequal.
The NAACP is also known for the work of its chief advocate for more
than 30 years, Clarence Mitchell, who worked to secure the 1957, 1960
and 1964 Civil Rights Acts, as well as the 1965 Voting Rights Act and
the 1968 Fair Housing Act.
But we salute the NAACP not only for these better-known
accomplishments, but for all of its efforts to promote justice and
equality for every American, throughout the past 100 years.
And the NAACP spoke out against lynching, challenged racially biased
Supreme Court justice nominees as early as 1930, and pursued
nondiscrimination policies in the military, in war-related industries,
and the rest of the Federal Government during the world wars. At the
height of the Civil Rights era, NAACP fought battles everywhere, on the
ground, in the courtroom, and in the United States Congress.
Finally, in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, we draw
inspiration as we look to the continued work that lies ahead. From Dr.
King and Coretta Scott King, from Rosa Parks, from Medgar Evers and
Merlie Evers-Williams, from Julian Bond, from Kweisi Mfume and from so
many others who have gone before, and from the current leadership of
President Benjamin Todd Jealous, Washington Bureau Directory, Hilary
Shelton, and Legal Defense Fund President John Payton, through whom the
NAACP has been promoting African American graduation and college
readiness, protecting and advancing voting rights and identifying
solutions to our current fiscal crisis.
As we celebrate the NAACP's centennial anniversary, I am confident
that the organization will remain an integral part of our Nation's
efforts to protect and promote civil rights for all Americans.
I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 35.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I support House Concurrent Resolution 35 which
recognizes the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. For a century now, the
NAACP has fought to bring justice and racial equality to all of
America.
In 1917, the NAACP won a legal victory in the Supreme Court which
held that States could not restrict and officially segregate black
Americans into residential districts. The same year the NAACP fought
for the right of black Americans to be commissioned as officers in
World War I.
In 1935, NAACP lawyers Charles Houston and Thurgood Marshall won a
legal battle to admit a black student to the University of Maryland.
During World War II, the NAACP led the effort that resulted in
President Franklin Roosevelt's ordering a nondiscrimination policy in
war-related industries and Federal employment.
And in 1948, the NAACP convinced President Harry Truman to sign an
executive order banning discrimination by the Federal Government.
In 1954, under the leadership of Special Counsel Thurgood Marshall,
the NAACP won one of its greatest legal victories in Brown v. Board of
Education, which found segregated schools and other educational
facilities in the United States to be unlawful.
In 1960, in Greensboro, North Carolina, members of the NAACP Youth
Council launched a series of nonviolent sit-ins at segregated lunch
counters. The segregation ended.
The history of America's modern struggle to live up to our
constitutional principles includes a major role by the NAACP, and it
continues to champion the cause of social justice today.
It is with pleasure that I join in supporting this concurrent
resolution, which I hope raises even greater awareness of this
organization's historic contributions to the cause of civil rights.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield the balance of my time
to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), also a member of the Judiciary
Committee.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas
will control the balance of the time.
There was no objection.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Texas, Congressman Al Green.
Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in the inner sanctum of my soul,
I believe that although the arc of the moral universe is long, as Dr.
King put it, it bends toward justice. However, I must confess that in
the cognitive confines of my cranium, I know that it does so because of
organizations like the NAACP.
For 100 years, the NAACP has been there bending the arc of the moral
universe toward justice for all. From anti-lynching legislation to
Brown v. Board of Education, to the election of the 44th President of
this Nation, the NAACP has been there.
For 100 years, it's been there because of brave and noble Americans
who
[[Page H1113]]
made great sacrifice that all may have a better life. Brave and noble
Americans like NAACPer Rosa Parks, who took a stand by taking a seat
and ignited a spark as a result that enhanced the Civil Rights
Movement; brave and noble Americans like NAACPer Medgar Evers, who
sacrificed his life in an effort to bring justice to all; brave and
noble Americans like white NAACPer John Shalady, who was beaten by a
mob and eventually died in his effort to secure rights for blacks.
For 100 years, it's been there demonstrating at the White House,
negotiating and litigating at the courthouse. Hence, it is indeed most
appropriate that the Congress of the United States of America honor the
NAACP on this, its 100th anniversary.
To this end, Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member
Lamar Smith, subcommittee chair Bobby Scott, floor leader Hank Johnson,
and also now floor leader Judge Ted Poe. I also thank the 105 U.S.
House cosponsors of this legislation. I thank Senator Dodd and his 20
cosponsors of the companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
And, in closing, at the risk of being both redundant and superfluous,
I beg, beseech and entreat my colleagues to support this resolution
because, in so doing, you are voting for liberty and justice for all,
as pronounced in the Pledge of Allegiance. In so doing, you are voting
for government of the people by the people for the people, as
proclaimed in the Constitution. In so doing, you are voting for the
equality of all, as promulgated in the Declaration of Independence. By
voting for this resolution, you are continuing to bend the arc of the
moral universe toward justice.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman
from Arizona (Mr. Franks).
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, today I stand here to honor the
NAACP. We all honor the NAACP in this House. It has been at the
forefront of the civil rights struggle in this country for 100 years,
and though 100 years have passed since the founding of the NAACP, there
still remains great work to be done.
Mr. Speaker, last summer dozens of black pastors and black mothers
attended the 99th annual NAACP conference in Cincinnati to call on the
NAACP to help expose one of the least known and yet one of the most
pervasive forms of racism at work still in this country, the targeting
of the black community by abortion providers. Many of these advocates
who gathered at the NAACP I have the privilege to call precious
friends. Dr. Alveda King, who leads King for America, is the niece of
Dr. Martin Luther King.
{time} 1745
Bishop Harry Jackson; Reverend Johnny Hunter, the founder of LEARN,
America's largest African American pro-life organization; the Reverend
Clenard Childress of LEARN Northeast; Catherine Davis with the Georgia
Right to Life; Lawson Lipford-Cruz, the president of Black Students for
Life; and David Owens, among many, many others. Their goal was simply
to fulfill the mission of the NAACP, and that is to ensure equality
and, most importantly, equal protection of the law for all.
Mr. Speaker, I want to quote Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin
Luther King, who helped lead the rally outside the NAACP conference.
``Racism lives at Planned Parenthood. I say to my fellow NAACP
members: It's time to tell the government to stop funding racism.
Planned Parenthood will gladly accept donations for the specific
purpose of aborting only black babies,'' King said. ``It locates its
clinics in or near minority neighborhoods. It has led the way in
eliminating African Americans to the point where one quarter of the
black population is now missing because of abortion.''
King called on the Nation's oldest civil rights organization to
remember its mission statement: ``To ensure the political, educational,
social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate
racial hatred and racial discrimination.''
Day Gardner, the president of the National Black Pro-Life Union,
said, ``As a child, I thought the NAACP to be a superhero organization,
an organization that would fight racism right down to its very core.''
She stressed that the NAACP leaders need to have their eyes opened to
the agenda of government-supported abortion providers and to what she
believes is their strategic marketing to the black community.
According to reported statistics, Mr. Speaker, a black child is
nearly five times more likely to be aborted than a white child.
Gardner continued. ``We are here to rally the NAACP, to make our
voices heard as we shout in unison `all across this great Nation the
struggle is not yet over. The evil hand of racism is still at work.' ''
Gardner also spoke about the Federal tax dollars that go to Planned
Parenthood. She said it was time for Congress to end that funding. She
asked, ``Why are we forced to pay well over $300 million to an
organization that is overtly racist? We are calling on the NAACP to
stand boldly with us to defund Planned Parenthood and even lead the way
in this, the greatest struggle for civil rights.''
Mr. Speaker, I just want to echo and agree with the words of Dr. King
and of Day Gardner, that for the NAACP to fully advance the cause of
the black community, it must take a stand and fight on behalf of the
most helpless, voiceless, politically unempowered members of the black
community--those being the unborn.
Today, one out of every two black babies conceived in this country is
lost to abortion. That is an astonishing reality that I cannot find the
words to describe. I just want to thank those courageous members of the
NAACP for their fight against this unspeakable tragedy. We must all
open our eyes to the racist history of abortion-on-demand movements in
this country and its devastating impact on black America. It is past
time to defund such a movement in this country.
To that end, I will also be reintroducing the PreNDA bill, the
Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act, to end sex-selection abortion and race-
selection abortion in this country. It is the duty of all of us to come
together and to eliminate this deadly form of discrimination in this
generation.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Tennessee--the Chair of the Commercial and
Administrative Law Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, my good
friend, Mr. Steve Cohen.
Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I am a life member of the NAACP. In my
lifetime, in the city of Memphis, there have been all kinds of
activists involved in civil rights work or in political work, and the
people who have always stood out as the champions have been the members
of the NAACP. They have been the people who have been involved in
looking out for human rights, voting rights, and civil rights for
people, regardless of their color, because it was the right thing to do
and not because of any political advantage to themselves.
For those particular individuals of which Maxine Vasco Smith, Russell
Sugarman, A.W. Willis, Jesse Turner, and others have been leaders, I
commend them and thank them for their efforts before me.
This is the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. In the African American
community, there are only two other organizations that are renowned and
that have celebrated 100 years of existence. The others are the Alphas,
a distinguished fraternity; Alpha Phi Alpha; and the AKA sorority,
Alpha Kappa Alpha. Each has celebrated its 100th anniversaries most
recently.
The NAACP today is headed up by Julian Bond, one of the heroes of the
Civil Rights Movement. He is a distinguished gentleman who has done a
phenomenal job for 50 years in leading people toward the rights of free
conscience as well as civil rights and other rights. Those are the
types of activities that the NAACP has been involved in.
It was started 100 years ago by a biracial group of people who
thought it was time that America lived up to its promise. It had been
approximately 40-some-odd years since the end of the Civil War, and yet
we still had Jim Crow laws. This country had not advanced greatly from
the time of the Civil War. We had the period of reconstruction, and
then after that there was a step back in civil rights. These people
decided there should be a change, and they have worked assiduously to
see that that happens. They
[[Page H1114]]
are often known or thought about with Thurgood Marshall and the work
done for the Brown versus Board of Education in 1954 in bringing about
that landmark decision. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which does so
much, is a separate arm from the NAACP, but it was founded by it, and
their activities in the courts have yielded great benefits to Americans
throughout the years.
When it comes to hate crimes, the NAACP has been on the front lines.
With voting rights, they're on the front lines. So those leaders, such
as Dr. Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Medgar
Evers, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Benjamin Hooks from my hometown of
Memphis, Jesse Turner, Jr., from my hometown of Memphis, who served as
national treasurer of the late Jesse Turner, Sr., and others have
fought the good fight for the NAACP, and they continue to do so as the
moral conscience of this Congress in lobbying for legislation that this
Congress needs to pass.
They published a report card on the work of this Congress, and it
does hold people up to account for the works that they have done in
these years. They helped me in passing a policy for slavery in Jim
Crow. I appreciate their work. I am proud, and I ask my colleagues to
join with me in voting for the resolution.
Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Farr).
Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud lifelong member of the NAACP, and
today, I join my colleagues in celebrating this 100th anniversary. I am
especially proud of my local moderate county branch of the NAACP where
our chapter was created in 1932, and I believe this chapter ranks as
one of the largest per capita branches in the United States, and has
been active in education and law for all of these many years. I can
tell you we are all better off for it.
Our chapter's proudest member is Ben Jealous, now the youngest and,
in my opinion, the most dynamic president of the NAACP. As we recognize
the great achievements of one of America's best organizations, let us
not forget that the struggle continues. We still face discrimination in
our communities, in our schools and in the workplace. It is a struggle
that requires continuing education and legal action.
The NAACP offers us many examples as we continue on our path towards
solving our racial troubles. Even the founders of the NAACP offer an
important lesson on how such a diverse group can accomplish so much.
The men and women--black and white, from different backgrounds and from
different careers and from different religions--these people came
together to create a force for good.
I want to thank the NAACP for 100 years of hard work. God bless your
president and his family as he leads us into the next century of
fighting for human and civil rights. We congratulate you on this
historic day.
I'm a proud lifelong member of the NAACP, and today I join my
colleagues in celebrating its 100th anniversary.
I am especially proud of my local Monterey County Branch of the
NAACP, where our chapter was created in 1932. My chapter ranks as one
of the largest per capita branches in the United States and has been
active in education and law--and we're all better for it.
The Fort Ord Army training base in Seaside, Calif., was the first
military base in the United States to be integrated in 1947. It was one
of the largest bases in the United States to conduct training for
Korea, Vietnam and many other conflicts. Now that base is closed, it's
site is home to the newest campus of the California State University
system--due in part to the fine work of the NAACP.
And our chapter's proudest member is Ben Jealous, now the youngest--
and in my opinion the most dynamic--national president of the NAACP.
As we recognize the great achievements of one of America's best
organizations, let us not forget that the struggle continues. We still
have discrimination in our communities, in our schools and in the
workplace. It's a struggle that requires continuing education and legal
action.
Luckily, we have the rich history of the NAACP that offers us so many
examples of how to proceed. One of the best is the group of individuals
who founded the group. It shows us how such a diverse group can
accomplish so much.
Along with a life of activism, W. E. B. Du Bois was a noted professor
and writer. Archibald Grimke, the son of a slave owner and slave, was a
journalist and lawyer. Henry Moskowitz was a Jewish physician. Mary
White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard spent their lives writing.
William English Walling, born into a former slaveholding family, once
served as a factory inspector. And Ida B. Wells was also a noted
women's rights activist.
America is the country where dreams come true. Certainly the world
has seen such with the election of Barack Obama. But the work will
never end until peace and justice are available to everyone.
I want to thank the NAACP for 100 years of hard work. You've made
America a stronger and better nation.
And your work continues. God bless your president, Ben Jealous, as he
leads us into the next century of fighting for human and civil rights.
We congratulate you on this historic day.
Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 4 minutes to the
honorable gentleman from the great State of Virginia, Mr. Bobby Scott,
who is also the Chair of the Crime Subcommittee of the Judiciary
Committee.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to recognize the
NAACP on its 100th anniversary. The NAACP holds a very special meaning
to me because I have been a long-time active member of the group. I
have had the honor of being Virginia's first individual Golden Heritage
Life Member and Virginia's first Diamond Life Member, the
organization's highest individual membership level. In addition, I have
had the honor of serving as president of the Newport News, Virginia
branch of the NAACP.
The NAACP is an organization that has made a difference from the very
beginning. In 1909, 60 prominent Americans, including Ida B. Wells-
Barnett and W.E.B. Du Bois, met on the occasion of the 100th
anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln to discuss racial violence
and social justice. Out of that meeting, the NAACP was born with the
goal of securing rights, liberties and protections for all Americans as
guaranteed by the Constitution.
Since its inception, the NAACP has worked tirelessly to continuing
looking for ways to improve the democratic process and by seeking the
enactment and the enforcement of Federal, State and local laws that
secure civil rights. The NAACP furthers its mission by making the
public aware of adverse effects of racial discrimination and by seeking
its elimination. The NAACP also seeks to educate the public about their
constitutional rights, and it goes to court to enforce those rights
when necessary.
The NAACP has a long and impressive history of activism. It has
contributed greatly to shaping America as we know it today. One of its
first legislative initiatives was anti-lynching legislation in the
early 1990s. In the 1940s, the NAACP was influential in President
Roosevelt's decision to issue an executive order prohibiting
discrimination in contracts with the Department of Defense. The NAACP
was very instrumental in President Truman's decision to issue an
executive order ending all discrimination in the military. In 1946, the
NAACP won the Morgan v. Virginia case where the Supreme Court banned
States from having segregated facilities on buses and trains that
crossed State borders. In 1948, the NAACP pressured President Truman
into signing an executive order banning all discrimination in the Armed
Forces. In 1954, the NAACP won its landmark case of Brown v. Board of
Education, declaring separate but equal unconstitutional.
The NAACP is what the late Bishop Stephen Gill Spotswood, the former
national board chairman, has called ``the oldest, largest, most
effective, most consulted, most militant, most feared, and most loved
of all civil rights organizations in the world.'' Bishop Spotswood's
statement remains true today.
Even in the 21st century, the NAACP continues to be a strong advocate
for fairness and equality. Recently, the NAACP was deeply involved in
protesting the Jena 6 controversy where the efforts of the NAACP and
others provided justice for the students in
[[Page H1115]]
that case. The NAACP continues their work on eliminating racial
injustice. It continues to act as a watchdog to protect the civil
rights of all people, and it educates the public about civil rights so
that future generations will know that tolerance and equality are the
norm rather than the exception.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the NAACP and its people on 100 years of
service to our great country, and I wish them another successful
century of service.
Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas has 13 minutes
remaining. The gentleman from Georgia has 4\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I will yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Illinois, the honorable Danny Davis.
{time} 1800
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman
from Georgia for yielding, and I also want to commend the gentleman
from Texas, Representative Green, for his introduction of this
resolution.
I rise to be in agreement with all of those who have edified the
examples of tremendous leadership provided by the NAACP.
On a personal note, though, I want to commend my wife, Vera, who is
the chairman of our local Westside Branch NAACP, and Mr. Karl Brinson,
who is the president. They do outstanding work and have continued to do
so. I also want to commend Hilary Shelton for the tremendous job that
he has done over the years keeping us informed.
And so I commend the NAACP on its 100th anniversary.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 1 minute at this
time to the honorable gentleman from the State of Virginia, Mr. Tom
Perriello.
Mr. PERRIELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th
anniversary of the NAACP as it celebrates its centennial.
Since its founding in 1909, the NAACP has been a tireless crusader
against racial discrimination, and it has continuously called our great
Nation towards an ever-expanding horizon of liberty and justice for
all.
Often with support and protection from the NAACP, countless brave
citizens of my district joined the great American struggle for civil
rights. From slavery and segregation, through massive resistance and
Bloody Monday marches, our area has passed through dark nights always
to emerge at the dawn of a new era of equality.
I thank the NAACP, its staff, and its members for remaining true to
our Nation's highest ideals. As it embarks on its second century with
new leadership and a renewed commitment to human rights, I congratulate
the NAACP on this landmark year in its history and extend our deep
appreciation for victories won and those that remain before us.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, we have no additional speakers
at this time, and if the gentleman yields back the balance of his time,
I will do the same.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my good friend
and fellow judge from Texas (Mr. Green) for introducing this
legislation, an individual I've known for now over 30 years and have
been through a lot together back in the State of Texas and proud to see
that he has introduced this legislation.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to commend
Congressman Green for his efforts in introducing this legislation, and
I look forward to its passage.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this historic year marks both the
inauguration of this country's first African-American president, Barack
Obama, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People's (N.A.A.C.P.) 100th anniversary. February 12, 1909 was chosen
as the founding date of the N.A.A.C.P. to commemorate President Abraham
Lincoln's 100th birthday, with the hopes of realizing his vision of a
unified nation overcoming racial and ethnic hatred and discrimination.
The following decades have seen the emergence of new challenges along
America's journey towards equality. Yet the N.A.A.C.P. has persisted
and has overcome these obstacles. It currently bears witness to
numerous advancements that may have never taken place had it not been
for the collective will of the many N.A.A.C.P. members who were willing
to fight for what they believed was right.
Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this country would be
if it never fought for African-Americans to have increased access to
the ballot box.
Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this country would be
if it never fought against discrimination--from schooling to housing,
and from marriage to employment. After all, the NAACP's Legal
department, headed by Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall,
undertook a campaign spanning several decades to bring about the
reversal of the ``separate but equal'' doctrine enshrined in the
Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson.
Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this great country
would be if it were not for the courageous men and women who risked
their lives and livelihoods in order to promote the rights of everyone,
regardless of the color of their skin.
In fact, it is hard to imagine such an America without the N.A.A.C.P.
My life and the life of this nation would be much different if it were
not for the organization's efforts to tear down the barriers of racial
discrimination and hatred. The N.A.A.C.P.'s work, however, is not yet
finished. If the last century is any indication though, as long as
there is an N.A.A.C.P., all Americans will continue to have a powerful
advocate for fairness, equality, and justice.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.
Con. Res 35 ``Honoring and praising the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 100th
anniversary.''
Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res 35 recognizes the 100th anniversary of the
historic founding of the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) and honors and praises the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its
anniversary for its work to ensure the political, educational, social,
and economic equality of all persons. I urge my colleagues to join me
in supporting H. Con. Res 35 because of the impact that the NAACP has
had on me and other minorities across this great nation.
First organized in 1905, the group came to be known as the Niagara
Movement when it began meeting at hotel situated on the Canadian side
of the Niagara Falls. The group first met in Canada because the U.S.
hotels were segregated. Under the leadership of Harvard scholar W.E.B.
DuBois, the group later went on to become known as the National Negro
Committee. It was not the date of the organization's second conference
in 1910 that it formally adopted the name the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People.
The mission of the association was clearly delineated in its charter:
To promote equality of rights and to eradicate caste or race
prejudice among the citizens of the United States; to advance the
interest of colored citizens; to secure for them impartial suffrage;
and to increase their opportunities for securing justice in the courts,
education for the children, employment according to their ability and
complete equality before law.
Since its inception, the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) has upheld its mission to fight social injustice
and give a voice to the voiceless. The NAACP is among the largest and
most prominent mass-membership, civil rights organizations in America.
Founded with a mandate to secure equal political, economic and social
rights for African Americans, the NAACP has been in the forefront of
every major civil rights struggle of the twentieth century. Using a
combination of tactics including legal challenges, demonstrations and
economic boycotts, the NAACP played an important role in helping end
segregation in the United States.
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., (NAACP LDF) a
leading civil rights organization based in New York City, began as the
legal wing of the NAACP under the leadership of Charles Hamilton
Houston, a former professor at Howard University Law School. In 1938,
Thurgood Marshall, Houston's student and future Supreme Court justice,
succeeded him as NAACP LDF counsel.
Marshall further developed the strategies and goals of the legal
department, establishing the Legal Defense Fund as an organization
totally independent of the NAACP.
Among its most significant achievements was the NAACP LDF's challenge
to end segregation in public schools. In the landmark Supreme Court
case Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Justices unanimously ruled
that separate educational facilities for black
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and white students were ``inherently unequal.'' That ruling and the
Court's subsequent order that public schools be desegregated with ``all
deliberate speed'' touched off a firestorm of protest in the South and
contributed substantially to the growth of the modern-day civil rights
movement. Today, the NAACP has over 500,000 members standing in unity
with all who support protecting our constitutionally guaranteed civil
rights against all who would oppose protecting these freedoms.
Even in my district in Houston, the NAACP seeks to be a voice against
injustice for all minorities. The NAACP Houston Branch has a long and
rich history championing civil rights in Houston on vital issues such
as the desegregation of Houston schools, combating the spread of HIV/
AIDS, and improved access to education and information technology.
The NAACP Houston Branch has played an instrumental role in breaking
new ground on the path to freedom and equality for Houston's minority
community. The branch has been experiencing tremendous growth in recent
years while serving the Harris County area through its programs and
myriad committees made up of its dedicated staff and volunteer members.
Led by an Executive Committee of approximately 25 volunteers, there are
approximately 800 members in the Houston Branch.
Some of the Houston Branch's programs include collaborations with the
City of Houston Health Department in STD prevention and awareness
programs, legal assistance in the form of legal consultation and
educational seminars, a year-long enrichment program designed to
recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural
achievement among African American high school students, and other
programs beneficial to minorities across the city of Houston.
As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I truly appreciate the
support from the NAACP in fighting for the reauthorization of the
Voting Rights Act. We all know that without the reauthorization of the
Voting Rights Act, the voting rights of many U.S. citizens would be in
jeopardy. When I authored H.R. 745 in the 110th Congress, I am proud to
say that with the NAACP's support, my colleagues and I were able to
rename the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Cesar E. Chavez, Barbara C.
Jordan, William C. Velasquez, and Dr. Hector P. Garcia Voting Rights
Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. This bill renamed the
Voting Rights Act to demonstrate the many faces of the Civil Rights
Movement. The bill was renamed to recognize the Hispanics and other
persons of color who labored in the vineyards to insure that all
receive equal treatment in the United States.
Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res 35 provides for a tribute to celebrate the
impact and achievements of the National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People in their efforts to better the lives of minorities
and the community. There is still a need for justice and equal
treatment for minorities in our country. I am grateful for the many
fights for equality that he organization has won, and thankful that the
NAACP will be there in the future to champion the cause of justice
wherever and whenever it needs a spokesman.
The struggles of the NACCP have helped pave the way for the election
this country's first African-American President Barack Obama. During a
speech celebrating the NAACP, President Obama declared that ``serving
as . . . [P]resident, 100 years after the founding of the NAACP, I will
stand up for you the same way that earlier generations of Americans
stood up for me--by fighting to ensure that every single one of us has
the chance to make it if we try.''
I thank my colleague, Representative Al Green, of Texas, for
introducing this important legislation, to ensure that we celebrate,
treasure and recognize the African American spiritual as a national
treasure and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this
resolution.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Con. Res. 35.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the
ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a
quorum is not present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
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