[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 53 (Thursday, April 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN REMEMBRANCE OF MR. BENJAMIN HOOKS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 15, 2010

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember Mr. 
Benjamin Hooks, who passed away this morning at the age of 85. Benjamin 
Hooks was a champion of equality and justice who fought tirelessly for 
civil rights and, in doing so, made our country a better place for all 
Americans.
  Benjamin Hooks was a critical figure in the fight for civil rights in 
the United States. In addition to fighting racial segregation through 
his successful careers a businessman, lawyer, judge, and minister, Mr. 
Hooks is most well known for his work with the National Association for 
the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP. Mr. Hooks was a pioneer of 
the NAACP-sponsored restaurant sit-ins and boycotts in the early years 
of the Civil Rights Movement.
  In 1976, the NAACP elected Benjamin Hooks as the executive director 
of the organization. Mr. Hooks reenergized the NAACP, increased its 
enrollment dramatically, and enhanced the group's effectiveness. At a 
time when the Civil Rights Movement was widely considered to have 
ended, Mr. Hooks recognized that much work was left to be done and 
recommitted the NAACP to tirelessly fighting for the rights of 
disadvantaged communities across the United States. Mr. Hooks guided 
the NAACP through decades of activism and oversaw the constant 
modernization and adaptation of the organization to respond to the new 
challenges of changing times.
  Benjamin Hooks was a giant in the fight for civil rights in America 
over the last 60 years. Even as he and his family were targeted in 
bombings against civil rights leaders in the 1990s, his resolve and 
commitment to an equitable society never faltered. In characteristic 
modesty, Benjamin Hooks often referred to himself as ``just a poor 
little old country preacher,'' but the truth is that he was much more 
than that. He left an indelible mark on American society and helped 
improve the lives of countless Americans. Mr. Hooks was honored for his 
life of service with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which President 
George W. Bush presented to him in 2007.
  I extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. 
Benjamin Hooks as they grieve the loss of this truly special 
individual.

                          ____________________