[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 144 (Monday, December 1, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN HONOR OF HERMAN J. RUSSELL

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 1, 2014

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and 
solemn spirit that I rise to pay tribute to an extraordinary man who 
labored tirelessly for the greater good, a man that stood as an example 
to us all, Mr. Herman J. Russell. Sadly, Mr. Russell passed away on 
Saturday, November 15, 2014. Funeral services were held on Saturday, 
November 22, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Saint Philip AME Church in Atlanta, 
Georgia.
  Born on December 23, 1930, Mr. Russell was a lifelong resident of 
Atlanta, Georgia. At the young age of 16, he purchased a small plot of 
land for the price of $125, an investment he eventually used to put 
himself through college at Tuskegee University in Alabama. He then went 
on to form a plastering company which, over the course of several 
decades, grew into a multi-million dollar real estate development and 
construction company, H.J. Russell & Co. Today, it is one of the 
nation's largest minority-owned real estate firms.
  Herman Russell is known as a founding father of the city of Atlanta. 
From Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to the Georgia Dome, from 
the Georgia-Pacific tower to the Coca-Cola headquarters, and from 
Turner Field to the Philips Arena, Mr. Russell played an essential role 
in the construction of much of the great skyline we see today. His firm 
is a partner in the joint venture selected to build the new nearly $1.3 
billion Atlanta Falcons stadium, which is slated to open in 2017.
  In addition to his many accomplishments as a leading African-American 
businessman, Mr. Russell was an esteemed civic leader. He served as the 
first black member of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce as well as the 
chamber's second black president. Mr. Russell was an activist and 
champion of the Civil Rights Movement, working closely with other 
influential figures such as the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He 
also contributed to the successful campaign of Maynard Jackson, 
Atlanta's first black mayor.
  Mr. Russell was also well-known for his giving heart, evidenced by 
his role as a generous benefactor for numerous educational programs for 
institutions such as Morehouse College, Georgia State University, and 
his alma mater, Tuskegee University. Additionally, Mr. Russell lent his 
charitable support to accomplish such tasks as the expansion of the 
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta facility at Hughes Spalding.
  George Washington Carver once said, ``No individual has any right to 
come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind distinct 
and legitimate reasons for having passed through it.'' The great 
Capital of the South would not be the same without Mr. Russell. 
Breaking down the numerous racial and economic barriers that stood in 
his path, Mr. Russell was a visionary and a man ahead of his time. His 
passing is a great loss to us all but his memory and storied legacy 
will serve as an enduring source of inspiration for so many.
  Mr. Russell is survived by his wife, Sylvia Anderson Russell; and his 
three children, Michael, Jerome, and Donata, who each run a portion of 
the family business, continuing their father's legacy.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring the 
great Herman J. Russell, a charitable man who worked his whole life to 
overcome great challenges and grow into the leader he was destined to 
be. Mr. Russell was a remarkable man and a blessing to the state of 
Georgia and the nation as a whole. We extend our deepest sympathies to 
his family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time and we 
pray that they will be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and 
the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks and months ahead.

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