[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 26, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E256-E257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING ODESSA WOOLFOLK DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2014

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TERRI A. SEWELL

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 26, 2014

  Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, 
I continue to pay tribute to outstanding African Americans from 
Alabama. Today, I rise to honor one of Alabama's most beloved and 
brilliant civic leaders, Ms. Odessa Woolfolk. As a student in 
Birmingham's segregated public schools to, later, becoming one of the 
city of Birmingham's most persuasive civic leaders, Ms. Odessa Woolfolk 
transcended the racial and socioeconomic challenges of her time.
  Ms. Odessa Woolfolk was born in the Titusville Community of 
Birmingham, Alabama and graduated from A.H. Parker High School. She 
earned her bachelor's degree in History and Political Science from 
Talladega College and later went on to earn her Masters in Urban 
Studies from Occidental College in California. She completed additional 
graduate work at the University of Chicago and was a National Urban 
Fellow at Yale University.
  Ms. Woolfolk began her career as a teacher at Birmingham's Ullman 
High School, at the height of the civil rights movement. She displayed 
outstanding and fearless leadership both in her classroom and community 
during this turbulent time. Following her tenure as an educator, Ms. 
Woolfolk worked in public policy with the following organizations: the 
Urban Reinvestment Task Force in Washington, DC., New York State Urban 
Development Corporation in New York City, the YWCA in Utica, New York, 
the Arbor Hill Community Center and the Inter-Racial Council in Albany, 
New York.
  After working in New York and Washington, DC., Ms. Woolfolk returned 
to Alabama to serve as executive director of the Birmingham Opportunity 
Industrialization Center and associate executive director of the 
Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity. For twenty-one 
years, she served as director of the Center for Urban Affairs at the 
University of Alabama at Birmingham and lectured in political science 
and public affairs. She also served as staff associate at the Center 
for International Programs and was an Assistant to the President for 
Community Relations.
  Ms. Odessa Woolfolk's tremendous contributions to the University of 
Alabama at Birmingham were recognized with the establishment of the 
Odessa Woolfolk Presidential Community Service Award. Due to her 
outstanding and extensive service at UAB, Ms. Woolfolk received the UAB 
Honorary Alumni Award, Outstanding Faculty Award, the President's 
Medal, and many other awards.
  Ms. Woolfolk is most known for her instrumental role in creating the 
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. She was its founding administrator 
and chair of the task force that planned and directed its development. 
Annually, nearly 150,000 people honor her as they pass through the 
Odessa Woolfolk Gallery at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
  Throughout her life, Ms. Woolfolk has served on the boards of 
numerous Birmingham and statewide organizations, including the YWCA, 
Region 2020, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, UAB 
African American Studies Program, Regional Planning Commission of 
Greater Birmingham, UAB Educational Foundation, Birmingham Museum of 
Art, and the Birmingham Urban League. Ms. Woolfolk served as the State 
Chair of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, was the first 
African American President of Operation New Birmingham's Board of 
Directors, founding member of Leadership Birmingham and was the 
founding co-chair of the Martin Luther King Unity Breakfast.
  Because of her influence in the city of Birmingham and the state of 
Alabama, Ms. Woolfolk was honored by Birmingham's Mayor and City 
Council and was inducted into the Birmingham Gallery of Distinguished 
Citizens. She was also inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor and 
is the well-deserved recipient of the Humanities Award from the Alabama 
Humanities Foundation. She has received honorary doctorates from her 
alma mater, Talladega College, from Birmingham-Southern College and the 
University of the South in Tennessee.
  Ms. Odessa Woolfolk is one of Birmingham's brightest luminaries. 
Through her continued commitment to improving her community, the State 
of Alabama and her nation, she remains an inspiration to all who know 
her. And as one of her mentees, it is my honor to recognize her on the 
floor of the United States House of Representatives. Our generation 
owes trailblazers such as Ms. Odessa Woolfolk a debt of gratitude. 
Today, I invite my colleagues to pay tribute to Ms. Odessa Woolfolk, an 
exceptional woman whose contributions have made her a shining example 
of exemplary service to all mankind.

[[Page E257]]



                          ____________________