[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 26, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E949]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO ELISE JONES MARTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 26, 2010

  Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
community leader whose tremendous contributions were recently 
recognized with a new housing development named in her honor. Mrs. 
Elise Jones Martin has spent her entire life advocating for her 
community and it is fitting and I think proper, that a new neighborhood 
in the community that she has devoted her life to will now bear her 
name.
  Elise Jones Martin is a native of Hartsville, South Carolina. She 
graduated from Essex High School in New Jersey, but returned to her 
beloved South Carolina in the 1930s to opened a beauty salon in 
Columbia's thriving African American business corridor along Washington 
Street.
  In addition to running her business, Mrs. Martin also furthered her 
education with trade and teacher training courses at Allen University, 
Benedict College and South Carolina State University. She went on to 
teach cosmetology at Booker T. Washington High School. She later became 
the first African American woman to open a business on Columbia's Main 
Street.
  Throughout her life, she worked on behalf of building strong 
communities. In the 1960s, her mother organized the Jones-McDonald Club 
to ensure neighbors took an active part in maintaining their 
neighborhood. After her mother passed away, Mrs. Martin carried the 
mantle for the organization. Even well into her 80s, Mrs. Martin walked 
door to door to meet new neighbors and to encourage them to join the 
Jones-McDonald Club. With Mrs. Martin's influence, the club has grown 
beyond its initial purpose. Today it hosts an annual Easter brunch, 
produces a newsletter, and boasts the participation of elected city 
officials and religious leaders.
  Mrs. Martin was also instrumental in providing community input for a 
Hope VI project that revitalized a former barrack-style housing complex 
in Columbia. Her belief that the home and the neighborhood are the 
foundations to producing solid, contributing citizens helped develop a 
philosophy for the new family-friendly development that replaced the 
warehouse approach of the former housing project.
  She has taken her passion for building strong communities with her 
into public service. Mrs. Martin was a member of the Columbia Zoning 
board for a number of years, serving until her late 80s. She was also 
an active member of Keep America Beautiful of the Midlands.
  She performed another community service by heading her voting 
precinct for more than 30 years. While working at the polls during the 
2008 Presidential primary, she had the honor of meeting then Senator 
Barack Obama.
  Mrs. Martin is an advocate also for early detection of cancer. Using 
her speaking and leadership skills, she has traveled on behalf of the 
American Cancer Society's Best Chance Program, educating men and women 
about the warning signs of breast and prostate cancer.
  She has been an active member of Bethel AME Church since arriving in 
Columbia in the 1930s, where she has served on the Board of Education, 
Steward Board, and the gospel choir. She is a recipient of the Queen 
Esther Award, which is one of the highest honors for women at Bethel 
AME.
  Her organization memberships include: Board of Directors of the Drew 
Park, Renaissance Foundation Board, James E. Clyburn Golf Center Board, 
City Lighting Committee, City of Columbia Citizens Advisory Committee 
for Community Development, several neighborhood crime prevention 
programs, and the W.A. Perry Middle School support group.
  Mrs. Martin has received numerous awards for her service including 
recognition by the American Cancer Society, the Columbia City Council, 
the Columbia Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and 
Richland County School District One. On May 1, 2010, she added the 
honor of the dedication of The Elise Jones Martin Place to her long 
list of accomplishments.
  Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me today in 
recognizing the contributions of a true community leader. Mrs. Elise 
Jones Martin has spent her entire life giving back to her community and 
improving the quality of life for her neighbors. I am pleased to call 
Mrs. Martin a friend, and I add my voice to those of so many others in 
thanking her for her selfless service. She is a remarkable individual 
who is deserving of our appreciation.

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