[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 105 (Tuesday, July 8, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING MS. FRANCES DUNHAM CATLETT

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 8, 2014

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
extraordinary life of Ms. Frances Dunham Catlett. Known throughout the 
Bay Area as a writer, painter, social worker, poet and devoted mother, 
grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother, Ms. Catlett 
has left an indelible mark on our community. With her passing on April 
22, 2014, we look to the outstanding quality of her life's work.
  Born on July 3, 1908 in Hartford, Connecticut, Ms. Frances Dunham 
Catlett was raised with an acute awareness of slavery in America. Her 
mother was formerly enslaved and her father was the son of a white 
slave trader. As the youngest of ten siblings, Ms. Catlett always 
proved to be an excellent student. Graduating high school in 1926, she 
received a four-year scholarship to the University of Chicago.
  In 1945, Ms. Catlett and her two sons, Kaye Lawrence and Michael 
Andrew, moved to San Francisco, where she worked at the Welfare 
Department. Breaking racial barriers, she was known as one of the first 
African American social workers in San Francisco. In addition, she 
later enrolled in Mills College and was one of the first African 
Americans to earn a graduate degree from that university. Ms. Catlett 
went on to teach social welfare at California State University, 
Sacramento.
  After moving to Berkeley, California, Ms. Frances Dunham Catlett 
enrolled in an art class at the de Young Museum in San Francisco and 
discovered her love of painting. Her artwork was showcased at the 
Oakland Museum of California and other galleries in Oakland and San 
Francisco.
  In addition, she published her third person autobiography in a 
compilation of stories entitled ``Black Women Stirring the Waters.'' 
Her entry, ``Soft Colors, Bold Statements,'' acknowledged the strong 
role her family and supportive church community played in her success 
in life.
  Ms. Frances Dunham Catlett was an inspiration to many African 
American women. At the age of 103, Carolyn Schlam painted Ms. Catlett's 
portrait to share her character and life story with others. This 
portrait, ``Frances at 103,'' was displayed in the National Portrait 
Gallery of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC and will move to 
the National Museum of African American History and Culture when it 
opens in 2015.
  With an adventurous spirit, Ms. Catlett traveled extensively, hiked 
with the Sierra Club, did Tai Chi into her 90's and bowled and painted 
until she was 102. She was featured as one of six women in the 
documentary ``Still Kicking: Six Artistic Women of Project Arts & 
Longevity,'' which challenged the perception and attitudes about aging. 
She was truly a woman for all seasons.
  Several years ago, I visited Frances at her apartment in Berkeley. We 
talked about many things, including politics and art. She showed me 
many of her beautiful paintings, which inspired me to purchase one and 
hang in my office for my constituents to admire. This painting is a 
reminder of her artistic genius, her lively and beautiful spirit and 
her big heart.
  Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors an 
outstanding individual, Ms. Frances Dunham Catlett. Ms. Catlett's 
contributions have truly impacted so many lives throughout the Bay 
Area. I join all of Frances' loved ones in celebrating her incredible 
life. She will be deeply missed.

                          ____________________