[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING JAMES R. FIGGS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 4, 2014

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an 
extraordinary Black History honoree, Mr. James R. Figgs.
  Mr. Figgs is an activist for the Civil Rights Movement of Mississippi 
and the United States. He has participated in so many activities of 
discrimination against people of color. Mr. Figgs was involved with the 
late Medgar Evers of the NAACP Council Member through Voter 
Registration. Blacks were not able to register, because of their 
inability to pass a written exam.
  He was involved as a youth college student and as an employee of 
several organizations. Mr. Figgs' mother, Ruth E. Figgs, instilled in 
him as a little boy to always stand up for his rights. His mother was 
also a Civil Rights Leader in Marks, MS.
  Mr. Figgs has dedicated his entire life to working to make life a 
better place for the people of color.
  Now Mr. Figgs is 71 years old and still fighting for just cause. For 
the past 45 years, he has been fighting for the rights of people, equal 
opportunities for jobs without discrimination, housing and protection 
from police brutality.
  Mr. Figgs was a part of several marches and just to name a few, 
marched to free Nelson Mandela and marched to make sure poor people had 
an opportunity to register and vote. Mr. Figgs stated that he has been 
marching and petitioning in Mississippi all of his entire adult life.
  He learned from and worked for the late Aaron E. Henry, of the 
Mississippi NAACP and the late Ben L. Hooks, the National Director of 
the NAACP for 16 years. Mr. Figgs is still on the battlefield fighting 
until all of the dreams of the Civil Rights Leaders become a reality.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. James 
R. Figgs for his dedication, hard work and being a part of history.

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