[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PAYING TRIBUTE TO A LEADER IN NEW YORK STATE POLITICS AND JOURNALISM: 
                              M. PAUL REDD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 11, 2009

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a fixture 
in New York State politics and journalism, M. Paul Redd--the strong-
willed publisher of the country's only black-owned newspaper, the 
Westchester County Press. The weekly celebrated its 80th anniversary 
last year, just a few months prior to the passing of its longtime 
publisher and muse. Redd was an African American leader whose foray 
into journalism and politics made him a premier advocate for equality 
and fairness. With a seriousness of purpose, outpouring of passion, and 
great eloquence, he and his paper prodded politicians towards 
responsible, progressive stances and held them accountable to the 
people and communities they served. He traversed the world of media and 
public service, blurring the line that separates them and serving as 
vice chairman of the state Democratic Party for a number of years.
  A voice--when as clear, cogent, and powerful as his was--cannot be 
silenced, even in death, as the following WVOX radio tribute titled 
``M. Paul Redd Dies Suddenly'' makes clear. He will continue to 
reverberate and resound in the minds of those he touched, in the words 
of those he influenced, in the work we public servants have yet to do 
for our constituencies, our state, and our country.

                       M. Paul Redd Dies Suddenly

       One of Westchester's most prominent and durable African-
     American leaders has died.
       Word came within the hour from the office of NYS 
     Assemblyman George Latimer that M. Paul Redd died suddenly 
     last night of a massive heart attack. He was in his mid-80's.
       Paul Redd published the Westchester County Press which last 
     month at Manhattanville College celebrated its 80th 
     anniversary as the county's only black-owned newspaper.
       Paul Redd purchased the weekly many years ago from the late 
     Dr. Alger Adams. In addition to his publishing activities . . 
     . M. Paul Redd was very active in New York State and 
     Westchester politics serving as Vice Chairman of the State 
     Democratic Party for many years. He was married to political 
     activist Orial Redd and their daughter Paula Redd Zeeman is 
     the County's Director of Human Resources.
       He was also a fixture at many WVOX broadcasts. For almost 
     40 years, Mr. Redd attended this station's St. Patrick's Day 
     salute broadcasts. (WVOX is dedicating this year's broadcast 
     to Mr. Redd).
       One of the features of his newspaper--the Westchester 
     County Press--was the ``Snoopy Allgood'' column which tweeked 
     politicians in a good natured, if occasionally pointed, way. 
     Mr. Redd never revealed who actually wrote those Snoopy 
     Allgood columns.
       He was also a frequent guest on our radio and tv talk shows 
     and discussion programs.
                                  ____


                   Statement of William O'Shaughnessy

       The legendary publisher Roy Howard used to say: ``You can't 
     have a great newspaper unless you have one man or woman who 
     has something to say.''
       Paul Redd had a lot of things to say . . . and he said them 
     passionately, clearly and with great eloquence.
       His Westchester weekly had influence far beyond its 
     circulation area . . . mostly because of that one man.
       He went all the way back in this county to the time of Bill 
     Luddy . . . Max Berking . . . Sam Fredman . . . Mario Cuomo . 
     . . Al DelBello . . . Miriam Jackson . . . Andy O'Rourke . . 
     . John Flynn . . . Edwin Gilbert Michaelian . . . Ossie Davis 
     . . . Malcolm Wilson . . . Richard Ottinger . . . Joe Shannon 
     . . . Napoleon Holmes . . . Milt Hoffmann . . . Paul Dennis . 
     . . Whitney Young . . . Hugh Price . . . Guido Cribari . . . 
     Nancy Q. Keefe . . . Ogden Reid . . . Vinnie Rippa . . . Tony 
     Gioffre . . . Dennis Mehiel . . . Franklyn Richardson . . . 
     Dr. Lester Cousin . . . Anthony J. Colavita . . . Bobby & 
     Jack Kennedy . . . Ernie Davis . . . Ed Brady . . . Jack 
     Javits . . . Vin Draddy . . . Bill Butcher . . . Fred Powers 
     . . . Brother Jack Driscoll . . . Al Sulla . . . Tony Veteran 
     . . . Francis X. O'Rourke . . . Wellington Mara . . . B.J. 
     Harrington . . . William Congdon . . . Alvin Richard Ruskin . 
     . . Angelo Martinelli . . . Bob Abplanalp . . . Kirby Scollon 
     . . . Ed Hughes . . . Daniel Patrick Moynihan . . . Hugh 
     Carey . . . and our magnificent neighbor Nelson Aldrich 
     Rockefeller.
       He amplified all their voices.
       And we will miss his . . .
                                  ____


                  Statement of Governor Mario M. Cuomo

       I've just learned of Paul Redd's passing . . . and I am 
     saddened by it.
       Paul Redd had an awful lot of strength . . . and a whole 
     lot of strong opinions. He had a strong voice, and a strong 
     will that inspired him to use that voice . . . speaking the 
     truth, and spreading it, as he saw it . . . about politics, 
     about politicians . . . and even beyond, whether politicians 
     liked it or not.
       He was a proud owner of the only Black newspaper in the 
     county . . . for . . . I think it was . . . eighty years.
       And he spoke in that paper all he could on all these 
     truths. And in doing it . . . the color of what he was saying 
     was not black . . . it wasn't white . . . and it certainly 
     wasn't yellow, as in ``yellow journalism.''
       The color of what he was saying and writing and believing 
     was red, white and blue . . . as American as it could be.
       It really was as basic as red, white and blue . . . because 
     what he was talking about . . . all the time . . . was 
     equality and fairness . . . the same thing Lincoln talked 
     about . . . and the same thing the Declaration of 
     Independence talks about.
       We're going to miss him.

                          ____________________