[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 5, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E655-E656]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF ORANGE MOUND IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 5, 2015

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 125th 
anniversary of Orange Mound, an historic and cultural hub in Memphis, 
Tennessee. Founded in 1890, Orange Mound was the first American 
community developed specifically for African-Americans to buy land and 
purchase homes. From the early twentieth century into the 1970s, the 
community was said to be home to the largest concentration of African-
Americans outside of Harlem, New York, and like Harlem, Orange Mound 
has a rich history of talent and economic independence.
  Orange Mound is home to some of the most well-known leaders and 
entrepreneurs in Memphis. Its residents have included the late Judge 
Otis Higgs, Jr., the first African-American sheriff in Shelby County, 
Tennessee and an instrumental figure in overturning the runoff 
provision in Memphis' citywide races, which led to the election of the 
city's first African-American mayor. Fred Davis, the first African-
American insurance policy writing agent in Tennessee, the first 
African-American to own an insurance agency in the South, the first 
African-American member of the Independent Insurance Agents of America 
and the first African-American Chairman of the Memphis City Council was 
also a noteworthy Memphian who claimed Orange Mound as his home.
  Orange Mound is also well-known for Melrose High School, an all-black 
school that was also founded in 1890 and remains revered in the 
community today. Many great athletes lived in Orange Mound and attended 
Melrose, including NFL cornerback Barry Wilburn who played for eight 
seasons from 1985 to 1996 and won a Super Bowl ring with the Washington 
Redskins in their 42-10 victory at Super Bowl XXII. His father, Jesse, 
coached football at Melrose from 1959 to 1968 and his mother, Margaret, 
was a track and field bronze medalist in the 1956 Summer Olympics. 
Bobby ``Bingo'' Smith was a college All-American basketball player at 
the University of Tulsa, a top ten pick in the 1969 NBA Draft and 
played for the San Diego Rockets, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the San 
Diego Clippers. Track star and Olympic gold (1996) and silver (1992) 
medalist Rochelle Stevens also attended Melrose and in 2007, the 
Memphis City Council renamed a street in her honor. Memphis State 
University (MSU) men's basketball coach Larry Finch, who helped ease 
race relations during a sharply divided era, led

[[Page E656]]

the Memphis State Tigers to the NCAA Tournament finals as a teammate, 
and then coached the team to its greatest number of wins, was also from 
Orange Mound and attended Melrose High School.
  Other notable Melrose alumni athletes include 1968 to 1971 NFL player 
Sam Walton, who played for the New York Jets when they won Super Bowl 
III; Ronnie Robinson, who played at MSU with Larry Finch and helped 
lead the team to the 1973 Final Four; Melrose 1974 state champion and 
MSU point guard Alvin Wright, who also helped MSU to a four year record 
of 80-34; John ``Big John'' Gunn played for MSU from 1974 to 1976; 
power forward for MSU and 1979 NBA Round 2 draft pick James Bradley; 
All-American William Bedford who also played in the NBA from 1986 to 
1993; and NFL player Jerome Woods from 1996 to 2005.
  Melrose High School has also graduated top scholars, including 
Dellarontay Readus. Dellarontay scored a 31 on the ACT, is Melrose's 
class of 2015 valedictorian and was awarded a full academic scholarship 
by Stanford University. Melrose has also graduated three ``all college 
expenses paid'' Bill Gates Scholars.
  In addition to being home to many Memphis greats, Orange Mound has 
served as a hub for live music and entertainment. The W.C. Handy 
Theater located on Park Avenue was built by a group of Memphis 
businessmen and was a popular entertainment attraction for several 
years. Such premier acts of the day included Count Basie, Sarah 
Vaughan, Lionel Hampton, and Memphis legends B.B. King, Bukka White and 
Willie Mitchell. Internationally famed jazz saxophonist and CEO of the 
Soulsville Foundation, Kirk Whalum, got his start in music playing for 
the Melrose High School band.
  Religion has also been central to the Orange Mound community. It is 
the only community in America with six churches over 100 years old and 
many more that are over 75 years old. Particularly well-known churches 
include Mt. Pisgah CME Church at the corner of Park Avenue and 
Marchaneil, which was founded in the late 1870s and played a role in 
assisting activists during the Civil Rights Movement, and Mount Moriah 
Baptist Church, which was founded in 1879 before moving to its present-
day location at the corner of David and Carnes Streets in 1883. Today, 
descendants of the founders of many churches in Orange Mound still 
attend these historic houses of worship and serve in the community.
  Since 1990, Memphis has played host to the Southern Heritage Classic 
football game between Tennessee State University and Jackson State 
University at the Liberty Bowl Stadium, which helps form the northern 
border of Orange Mound. In that same year, the Orange Mound Parade 
Committee was formed to honor Memphian Fred Jones for his dedicated 
work in establishing the Southern Heritage Classic. As the Congressman 
for Tennessee's Ninth District, which includes Orange Mound, I have 
been honored to participate in this parade as it travels down Park 
Avenue and passes Melrose High School, homes, local businesses and 
Orange Mound's historic churches. I have met with the residents of 
Orange Mound and am always inspired by their commitment to the 
revitalization and renaissance of this historic community in America.
  In commemoration of the anniversary, the United States Postal Office 
has issued a special postmark cancellation honoring Orange Mound. It 
was designed by the residents of Orange Mound and I was happy to work 
with the new Memphis Postmaster, Jennifer Vo, to make this a reality. 
As the first all African-American community in America that has been 
home to many internationally known African-Americans who have 
contributed to American culture, the Orange Mound community is truly 
part of American history and is deserving of this special recognition. 
As such, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 125th 
anniversary of Orange Mound in Memphis, Tennessee.

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