[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 92 (Friday, June 24, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO WAYNE GREENHAW

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 24, 2011

  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today 
to acknowledge the loss of Wayne Greenhaw, a dedicated Alabama 
journalist and one of the finest writers to hail from our state. He 
passed away May 31, 2011, at the age of 71.
  A native of Sheffield and a graduate of the University of Alabama, 
Wayne Greenhaw was the author of 22 books, many of which were 
influenced by his southern upbringing and the historical events that 
shaped his early career as a reporter.
  His foray into journalism began in 1958 as a part-time sports 
reporter for the Tuscaloosa News, followed by a full time job with the 
Alabama Journal in Montgomery. During his reporting days, he chronicled 
the segregationist movement of the 1960's and frequently profiled state 
and national politics, which later led to stints as a stringer for the 
New York Times and Time magazine, among others.
  In 1976, Wayne Greenhaw briefly left journalism for politics, serving 
as Jimmy Carter's presidential campaign press secretary for Alabama. 
Nearly two decades later, he entered public service as the Director of 
the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel from 1993 to 1994. In 1995, 
President Bill Clinton appointed him as a representative to the White 
House Conference on Travel and Tourism. He was also awarded Travel 
Writer of the Year in 1995 by the Southeast Tourism Society.
  Above all things, Wayne was a truly decent man who had a moral 
compass and not only knew the difference between right and wrong, but 
was willing to express it in a powerful way. As one of our best 
writers--and we've produced some mighty talented men and women from 
Alabama in this field--Wayne was not limited to any one medium. From 
fiction to nonfiction, books to poetry, beat reporting to plays, Wayne 
Greenhaw put his stamp on Alabama literature like few others.
  His many books include King of Country, Ghosts On the Road: Poems of 
Alabama, Mexico and Beyond, The Thunder of Angels, The Spider's Web, 
Montgomery, The Long Journey, Beyond the Night, Alabama: A State of 
Mind, Tombigbee, Elephants in the Cottonfields, The Golfer and Watch 
out for George Wallace. He also authored two plays, Rose: A Southern 
lady, and The Spirit Tree.
  Given his prolific talents, it is, therefore, not surprising that he 
was the recipient of the 2005 Clarence Carson Award for nonfiction and 
the 2006 Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing.
  His most recent book, Fighting the Devil in Dixie, about civil rights 
activists confronting the Ku Klux Klan from the late 1950's to the mid 
1980's, is considered ``the culmination of his career.''
  Mr. Speaker, Wayne Greenhaw has been described by his peers as ``a 
storyteller'' and ``a part of our State's history.'' Wayne's works 
always reflected his affection and passion for the history of our 
state. It is hard to imagine where our state would be without the 
historical and cultural contributions of this great writer.
  On behalf of the people of Alabama, I would like to extend my 
condolences to Wayne's wonderful wife, Sally, and their family and many 
friends during this time of personal loss. Wayne's love for Alabama and 
our people will never be forgotten. May he rest in peace.

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