[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 160 (Wednesday, December 12, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    A TRIBUTE TO MR. FELMERS CHANEY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 12, 2012

  Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Felmers Chaney, 
a civil rights leader and the first African American Sergeant in the 
Milwaukee Police Department (MPD). Mr. Chaney passed away on December 
5, 2012 at the age of 94.
  Mr. Chaney was the son of a dairy farmer and born and raised in 
Spooner, in northern Wisconsin. He came to Milwaukee to work as a 
machinist in 1941 but was unable to find work in that field. He was 
drafted into the Army in 1942. He was sent to officers' candidate 
school, graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant and commanded troops in England 
and France.
  After the war, he returned to Milwaukee and, at the urging of a 
friend, he joined the Milwaukee Police Department in 1947. Mr. Chaney 
became an MPD trailblazer; he was only the 4th black person to serve on 
the police force serving 36 years as a police officer. Mr. Chaney 
became the first African American to rise to the rank of Sergeant but 
this was not without controversy. Felmers Chaney passed the Sergeant's 
exam in 1954 but was asked if he would consider being a detective with 
the same pay and no supervision of staff. He declined the detective 
post; in the mid-60's he supervised 20 officers of which only two or 
three were African American. He had a reputation of fairness.
  Felmers Chaney was elected president of the NAACP--Milwaukee Branch 
where he served for 12 years. He was a true advocate for the community 
speaking out on a range of issues including: education, housing and 
minority hiring and representation. He once described discrimination 
against blacks in Milwaukee as a ``broken record; it's been going on 
for the past 40-50 years''
  Mr. Chaney championed Milwaukee's inner city development. He was 
president of the Central City Development Corporation which built the 
Central City Plaza and he was a founder and president of North 
Milwaukee State Bank, Wisconsin's first black-owned bank. Felmers 
Chaney also served as president of the Milwaukee Urban League.
  In 2009, Mr. Chaney and his wife, Jessie attended the inauguration of 
President Obama. Although they both were infirm, they were determined 
to attend this historic event. He treasured that moment of being able 
to participate in an event he never dreamed could occur in his 
lifetime.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Mr. Felmers Chaney a civil rights 
champion, public servant and trailblazer lived, worked, and served in 
the 4th Congressional District of Wisconsin. Mr. Chaney's legacy will 
live on through the many people he mentored, his family and the 
community.

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