[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 3, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF ELIJAH PAT LARKINS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 3, 2009

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
life and achievements of my dear friend and a widely-respected leader, 
the Honorable Elijah Pat Larkins, who died February 14, 2009 after 
losing a 16-month battle with brain cancer. My thoughts and prayers are 
with his family at this most difficult time. I hope that Pat's family 
takes comfort in knowing that, in his over 66 years on this earth, he 
had a profound impact on those around him, making significant 
contributions to the lives of so many Floridians.
  Pat had an affinity with South Florida that was developed over a 
lifetime. He was born in Pompano Beach in 1942, and graduated from 
Blanche Ely High School in 1960. In 1962 he left Tennessee State 
University without graduating to pursue a career as a housing director 
for the local community action agency. In 1969, he was one of only two 
Florida recipients of a Ford Foundation fellowship to attend the 
National Housing Institute in Washington, DC. He worked in Illinois for 
a brief period immediately following his certification by the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a housing 
development specialist. Returning to Florida, Pat created the Broward 
County Minority Builders Coalition and was a director of his own not-
for-profit business, Malar Construction Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale.
  Madam Speaker, Pat had a long career in public service, and it is 
through this aspect of his life that he has had the greatest impact on 
the lives of so many in South Florida. He was the first chairperson of 
the City of Pompano Beach Community Development Committee. In 1982, he 
was the second African-American elected to the Pompano Beach City 
Commission. He was just the eighth African-American local elected 
official in Broward County and served 19 consecutive years as city 
commissioner. In that time, he served a record seven terms as mayor, 
the first African American to hold this post, and three terms as vice-
mayor. He also served an unprecedented 14 consecutive years on the 
Broward County Planning Council and was the first African-American 
chair of that body. After an unsuccessful run for Broward County 
Commission in 2001, Pat Larkins was reelected to the Pompano Beach City 
Commission in 2003 where he served as vice-mayor.
  I am sure that my colleagues would agree that this is a remarkable 
list of achievements. Importantly, however, Pat was known not only for 
the offices that he held but the means by which he discharged his 
duties in those offices. Pat was a man of uncompromising integrity. He 
possessed an incredible generosity of spirit, and was a mentor to those 
around him. Pat has been referred to as the dean of Broward black 
elected officials because of his remarkable leadership and role as one 
of the founders of that group. He knew his constituents astoundingly 
well, and would often complain in jest that he was going broke buying 
flowers for funerals.
  Pat was also recognized throughout the State as a leader and 
spokesperson for minority involvement in government and business. 
During his time as mayor of Pompano Beach, the city hired the first 
black fire chief and first black city clerk in Broward County. Pat 
initiated the city ordinance to promote minority small business 
concerns, and along with two others, helped to create the first 
minority business enterprise program for Broward County government. His 
concern for equality had developed from an early age; as a student at 
Blanche Ely, where he was voted to lead his class from 5th through 12th 
grades, he led a student boycott of classes when an annual gathering of 
the county's three black high schools was canceled.
  In addition to his many professional achievements, Pat Larkins took 
an active role in countless public service, social, and religious 
organizations. He was a life member of the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), served on the Broward County 
Boys and Girls Club corporate board, the Juvenile Justice Intensive 
Halfway House, and the Florida black caucus local elected officials, 
and was a longtime member of Hopewell Baptist Church. He was a founding 
member of the Urban League board, as well as a leader in the 
Superintendents' Commission on Public Education, National Black Mayors' 
Conference, and U.S. Conference of Mayors.
  Madam Speaker, through all of these roles, Pat had an indelible 
impact on the well-being of his community. He made profound 
contributions in the area of housing, working tirelessly to ensure safe 
and adequate housing was available to all. Under his leadership, 
Pompano Beach recently demolished a 140-home development that had been 
rundown and falling apart and relocated the owners to a modern 
development of affordable homes on an even swap arrangement at a 
considerable cost savings to the city. Over the past 5 years, he led 
the city in providing financial and other assistance that has resulted 
in the erection of more than 800 affordable multifamily units.
  Madam Speaker, although Pat's life has come to an end, his legacy 
will live on for generations to come. He will be remembered for his 
patience and generosity, characteristics which enabled him to improve 
the lives of all those who knew him. Pat was my friend of 46 years, he 
was a Renaissance man and I am proud and fortunate to have known him.

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