[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 141 (Tuesday, November 18, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO JONATHAN P. HICKS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 18, 2014

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the life of 
Jonathan P. Hicks, beloved brother, renowned lecturer, a distinguished 
scholar, an award-winning writer and journalist with more than 30 years 
of experience covering politics, business, industry and the role of 
people of color in the world of business. Simply put, Jonathan was a 
force of nature that is widely respected in literary and activist 
communities across the world and by people of all ages, races, and 
backgrounds.
  For nearly 25 years, Jonathan worked for The New York Times, where he 
covered the politics of New York State and New York City. During that 
time, he developed a reputation as one of the foremost authorities on 
the inner workings of the political culture in New York City and New 
York State. He was a frequent guest on local radio and television news 
programs where he regularly offered political analysis and commentary. 
He was also the author of the Politics 5-B column for The Times' 
website. After leaving The Times, he worked as a senior fellow at the 
DuBois Bunche Center for Public Policy at Medgar Evers College in 
Brooklyn.
  Jonathan served as the host of Urban Focus, a weekly radio program 
that brings together politicians, policy makers, industry 
practitioners, scholars and expert analysts. Urban Focus explores a 
range of issues that affect under-served communities and communities of 
color from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, to Cape Town, South Africa. The 
discussions serve to both draw attention to problems and highlight 
solutions for issues of concern to these communities.
  He was co-editor of the book, From Disaster to Diversity: What's Next 
For New York City's Economy. It is a collection of essays by a number 
of prominent New Yorkers, published by the Drum Major Institute for 
Public Policy. Before passing away, Jonathan was editing the book, 
Black, Brown and Green: Ensuring A Role for People of Color In the 
Nation's Green Economy. It is to be a collection of essays, published 
by the DuBois Bunche Center.
  Jonathan also served as the scriptwriter for ``Back Door Channels: 
The Price of Peace,'' a documentary film which examines the behind-the-
scenes events leading to the historic Camp David meeting between Egypt, 
Israel and the United States. The film was selected to open the 2009 
Monte Carlo Television Festival.
  Always willing to share his wealth of knowledge and experience, 
Jonathan was a guest lecturer at a number of colleges and universities, 
including the London School of Printing, Columbia University, 
Swarthmore College, Southern University and the University of Missouri. 
He has also been a member of the visiting faculty at the Maynard 
Institute Summer Program for Minority Journalists at the University of 
California at Berkeley and the Century Foundation's Century Institute 
Summer Program at Williams College. In addition, he was a recipient of 
The New York Times' Publishers Award and has also received the public 
service writing award from the New York Association of Black 
Journalists. Furthermore, he has received awards for excellence in 
journalism from the New York Chapter of the National Black MBA 
Association and from the Arizona Press Association. In 2009, Jonathan 
traveled to Liberia on a grant from the Ford Foundation to write 
articles and produce broadcasts about the redevelopment of the country 
following the 14-year civil war that ended in 2003. He was also charged 
with laying the groundwork for a training program for professional and 
aspiring journalists there. Upon his return, Jonathan and his wife, 
Christy DeBoe Hicks, launched the J. P. Hicks Family Mass 
Communications Scholarship, which seeks to support the next generation 
of journalists in Liberia. The scholarship provides assistance for 
aspiring journalists, covering cost of tuition, fees and books for a 
period of up to four semesters at the University of Liberia. It also 
provides for online, one-on-one mentorship with professional 
journalists. Furthermore, Jonathan was involved in a number of 
philanthropic issues. He served for four years as chairman of the Kappa 
Alpha Psi New York Foundation, a role in which he helped raise $250,000 
for scholarships for college-bound students in New York City.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me 
in celebrating the life and career of a man who has devoted his life to 
promoting racial equality and the ideals this country was founded on. 
Jonathan P. Hicks remains a true American hero and quite simply a 
literary vanguard, and I suspect it will be a long wait before we ever 
see another of his kind.

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