[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 178 (Thursday, December 3, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING ARTHUR GOLDEN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 3, 2009

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
outstanding achievements of Arthur Golden of Longboat Key, Florida, 
whose family members are my constituents. Mr. Golden was born in 
October 1923, and is the second child of Russian Jewish immigrants. His 
parents taught him to value freedom and emphasized the important role 
each individual has in ensuring freedom and equality for all.
  After graduating from City College of New York, Mr. Golden married 
and enlisted in the Army. During World War II, he fought on the front 
lines in France and stood stoically in the streets of Marseilles as the 
American soldiers were honored on VE Day. When he returned from war, 
Mr. Golden entered the workforce as an accountant to take care of his 
extended family and shortly thereafter began his lifelong career and 
dedication to civil liberties. He volunteered his time with the 
Southern Christian Leadership Conference and with Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr. Mr. Golden and his wife were actively involved in the fight 
for equal opportunity housing projects and exposing landlords who 
refused to rent to African Americans and minorities. They were honored 
to have Dr. King visit their home and become friends with the family. 
When Dr. King was murdered, Mr. Golden immediately flew to Atlanta to 
be with Mrs. King and to assist with her financial matters.
  After Mr. Golden retired, he and his wife moved to Florida and 
continued their commitment to the civil rights struggle, discovering 
injustices in the Jamie Poe Housing Project in Sarasota. They formed a 
committee and fought for the residents to keep their homes.
  Mr. Golden's children are extremely proud of him and remember being 
taken to countless civil rights meetings, demonstrations, marches, 
protests, and community events. His family was touched when upon Barack 
Obama's election, tears flowed from a man who rarely shows emotion.
  Mr. Golden, an eighty-six-year-old World War II veteran and lifelong 
civil rights fighter, has been an inspiration to his family, his 
community, and his Nation. His lifelong dedication to standing up for 
others in need and fighting for civil liberties is a legacy that is 
being carried on today by his children, grandchildren, and countless 
others influenced by his example.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to recognize the lifetime achievements of 
Arthur Golden and the contributions he has made to our Nation and our 
community.

                          ____________________