[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 22, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           NELSON MANDELA DAY

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 22, 2014

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, today marks what would have been the 96th 
birthday of Nelson Mandela, one of the great liberators in human 
history and an enduring international symbol of peace, integrity, 
humility, resilience, and courage. While we lost Madiba in December, 
his ethos of nonviolence and his unyielding quest for justice continue 
to guide and inspire people throughout the world.
  After 27 years imprisoned on Robben Island and decades of devoted 
campaigning to overturn hateful racist policies, Nelson Mandela 
succeeded not only in unravelling apartheid but also in shepherding his 
nation through an extraordinary peaceful democratic transition. The 
people of South Africa--and people of all races, ethnicities, and 
nationalities around the world--are forever grateful.
  More than two decades ago, just months after his release from prison, 
I had the honor of first meeting Mandela when he visited Detroit to 
organize for his ascendant political movement in South Africa and speak 
with the great American civil rights hero Rosa Parks. I was astounded 
not only by Mandela's insight but also by his kindness and humility. 
Just four years later, I was delighted to travel to South Africa to 
attend his inauguration as President of South Africa.
  Today, his birthday, is recognized globally as ``Nelson Mandela 
Day,'' an occasion established by the Mandela Foundation in 2009 to 
commemorate his life and to underscore the notion that a single person 
can--through commitment and character--yield extraordinary positive 
change. Today, in my hometown of Detroit, Michigan, thanks to the work 
of the Friends of Detroit City Airport Community Development 
Corporation and Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, a portion of 
Atwater Street from Civic Center Drive to Bates Street will be renamed 
``Nelson Mandela Drive.'' A commemorative ceremony will highlight the 
extraordinary achievements of Mandela and ways that community members 
can continue to fulfill his revolutionary vision of justice and 
nonviolence.

                          ____________________