[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 59 (Friday, April 26, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. JACOBY DICKENS

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 26, 2013

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 
of Mr. Jacoby Dickens, who passed away this month at the age of 82. 
Jacoby was a prominent business leader, and served as Chairman of 
Seaway Bank & Trust Co., which is the largest black-owned bank in 
Chicago. He also served on the boards of Chicago State University, the 
School of Business at Florida A&M University, and the Chicago Urban 
League. He was a well-known philanthropist, and donated more than $1 
million to Chicago State University, where his name adorns the main 
athletic center.
  Jacoby truly embodies the American dream, as his inspiring success 
story is rooted in the humblest of beginnings. He was one of six 
children, growing up in Panama City, Florida. His family moved to the 
South Side of Chicago in 1946. A teenager at the time, he attended 
Wendell Phillips High School.
  Always possessing a knack for business, Jacoby began saving money 
while working as a building engineer. With these savings, he invested 
in real estate, and eventually purchased and managed a large number of 
apartment buildings in the South Side before selling his holdings in 
1971. In time, he expanded his investments into other parts of Chicago, 
primarily investing in several bowling alleys. Seen as a financial up-
and-comer, Seaway Bank & Trust Co. asked him to join their board in 
1979. He became Chairman of the bank in 1983. Seaway was one of very 
few banks willing to provide loans in tough neighborhoods on the South 
Side, and saw Jacoby as a model of success for potential investments.
  Building a half-billion-dollar organization, perhaps the most 
profound aspect of his legacy is his dedication to serving African-
Americans in their community at a time when many were unwilling to take 
such risks. Countless businesses, families, and communities at large 
were positively impacted by his trust in people. Jacoby believed that 
people are equal and deserve the opportunity to better themselves. 
Originally only one of few black-owned banks in the city of Chicago, 
Seaway is now by far the largest and most successful.
  Mr. Speaker, Jacoby Dickens was a dear friend of mine. He was a great 
American who gave back to his community and this nation. I am truly 
saddened by his passing. He will be dearly missed.

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