[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 127 (Thursday, September 10, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE HARLEM CULTURAL ARCHIVES HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S TRIBUTE 
                  TO THE LLOYD EVERETT DICKENS FAMILY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 10, 2009

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of The Harlem 
Cultural Archives Historical Society's tribute to the legacy of the 
Lloyd Everett Dickens Family at their 2nd Annual Award Luncheon taking 
place at Harlem's renown Londel's Supper Club.
  Before the first Wall Street crash and Great Depression of the early 
1920's, hard-working successful African Americans found it very 
difficult to rent apartments and buy homes. Landlords did not want 
Blacks living in their buildings as tenants, and white property owners 
would not acknowledge Blacks who sought to bid on their property.
  Two young men, Fred and Lloyd Dickens from Watonga, Oklahoma, where 
their father, Andrew, was a United States marshal disliked what they 
had observed and what Blacks were experiencing in seeking housing and 
ownership. They created and built a partnership to conduct real estate 
business in Harlem and throughout the City of New York.
  By the late 1950s, Lloyd E. Dickens had built a reputation as one of 
Harlem's most successful veterans in the housing profession. He had 
also established a name in political circles, distinguishing himself as 
both a District Leader and Assembly Member as one of New York City's 
major powerbrokers. In 1959, he was the only Tammany Hall leader to 
defy party leaders when then Manhattan Chairman Carmine G. De Sapio 
sought to end the political career of Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, 
Jr. Instead of following, Dickens led, pressing an agenda that called 
for a fair share of patronage and representation to deal with the 
social and economic problems of black people.
  For the rest of his years, Lloyd Dickens remained in the vanguard of 
the struggle to secure equality for blacks and other minorities in the 
job market, the courts, city government and education. Today, the 
Dickens family legacy continues through Lloyd's two daughters, Delores 
Richards and my political wife Inez ``Betty'' Dickens. Delores 
continues to run Lloyd E. Dickens & Company with the same dedication, 
integrity, fairness and core values, which was inspired by her father 
and uncle. Inez is following in the same path as her father, District 
Leader, first vice chair of the New York State Democratic Committee, 
and now, the Majority Whip of the New York City Council--second most 
powerful female member and highest-ranking African-American woman.
  Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to thank the Harlem 
Cultural Archives Historical Society for preserving and documenting 
Harlem's illustrious contributions and its history; and for 
establishing the Dickens Family Scholarship for college students who 
have exhibited an interest in the Harlem community and achieved 
academic excellence. It is the least that we can do to honor and pay 
tribute to a man who did so much for our community and all people of 
good will.

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