[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 31 (Monday, February 23, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E296-E297]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             LAVADA DILLARD

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PHIL GINGREY

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 23, 2009

  Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Madam Speaker, in celebration of Black 
History Month, I want to continue recognizing African Americans from 
throughout Georgia's 11th Congressional District who have had a major 
impact on their community.
  Lavada Dillard is an outstanding example of a courageous woman. As a 
student in 1963 of the historical Main High School of Rome, Georgia, an 
all-black segregated high school when she attended, she, at the age of 
16, and 62 other high school students carried out a successful downtown 
lunch counter sit-in demonstration asking for the right to be served. 
She was one of the 62 students jailed for 5 days for this act. Today, 
Ms. Dillard states that this was a significant moment in her life as 
she was a part of paving the way for black citizens to have lawful 
access to public eating facilities, restrooms, and drinking fountains, 
nationwide.
  Ms. Dillard did not stop her fight for equal rights for all people. 
She became a part of a

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major voting campaign in Rome, after the Voting Rights Act was signed 
into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. At that time, few African 
Americans were registered voters, and they had very little political 
power, both locally and nationally. She began working as an activist in 
human rights efforts with the Black Coordinating Committee during the 
era of integration of school systems in Rome. She became Rome's first 
black legal secretary in 1971 and eventually managed the firm's Rome 
office.
  Inspired by her activism and committed to justice for all, she 
furthered her works in the legal system with Georgia State Legal 
Services. She has worked in the education system at East Rome Junior 
High School as school secretary. She served 9 years as a lobbyist for 
the Georgia Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities and she 
has been a board member and executive planner for the Northwest Georgia 
Minority Business Association. She has served on the Georgia State 
Board of Elections to select delegates to the National Presidential 
Convention.
  She has been twice awarded for her works as advocate and activist by 
the Martin Luther King Diversity Class of the Southern Christian 
Leadership Conference. In 2007, she was instrumental in obtaining a 
proclamation from the city of Rome for the dedication ceremony for a 
downtown garden honoring the demonstrators of the Civil Rights Movement 
of 1963 called ``Freedom Garden.''
  She compiled the history of the Civil Rights Movement in Rome to 
become part of the permanent history of the archives of her community 
as well as the ``Freedom on Film'' series at the University of Georgia. 
Her works are currently on display in the Rome area history museum as 
part of their permanent Civil Rights exhibit. Today, her speaking 
engagements take her to churches, schools, group youth homes, and youth 
detention centers--taking the message of equality across color lines 
and religious sectors.
  Lavada Dillard's life has been devoted to fighting for equality for 
all people--regardless of race or religion. She has been an advocate 
for the disabled and the underprivileged. She is an example for others 
to follow, and I am proud that she is a citizen of the 11th 
Congressional District of Georgia. I ask that my colleagues join me in 
honoring Lavada Dillard for her commitment to the betterment of her 
community, our great State of Georgia, and the United States of 
America.

                          ____________________