[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 8, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





    TRIBUTE TO THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF AMELIA PLATTS BOYNTON ROBINSON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TERRI A. SEWELL

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 8, 2015

  Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
the extraordinary life and legacy of an American treasure and one of my 
personal heroes, the courageous Mrs. Amelia Platts Boynton Robinson. 
Amelia passed away on August 26, 2015 at the age of 104. While we mourn 
the loss of this remarkable woman, I am comforted in knowing that her 
brave spirit will live through her impactful contributions to this 
nation.
   Amelia was a key figure in the voting rights movement in Selma, 
Alabama and she is often remembered for her historic role as one of the 
coordinators and marchers on ``Bloody Sunday.'' On that solemn day on 
the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Amelia was savagely beaten and a photo of her 
taken shortly after she was attacked became a powerful symbol of the 
injustices suffered by those fighting on the frontlines of the 
movement.
   Yet this fearless revolutionary continued her work as a leader on 
the frontlines of securing the right to vote for all Americans. She was 
undeterred by the perils of a racially unjust society that relegated 
blacks to second-class citizenship. Her story is a testament to her 
commitment to serving as a conduit for change and a reminder of why we 
in Alabama lovingly refer to her as the matriarch of the movement.
   Amelia was born on August 18, 1911 in Savannah, Georgia. Her mother 
was an activist during the women's suffrage movement. After the passage 
of the 19th amendment, she and her mother distributed voter 
registration information to women from the family's horse and buggy in 
1920. Her mother's tireless efforts to secure the right to vote for 
women would have a lasting impact on Amelia. It also paved the way for 
the young activist to claim her own place in American history.
   Fueled by that same passion, Amelia began her own service to mankind 
when she and her husband Samuel Boynton fought for voting rights and 
property ownership for African-Americans in the poorest rural areas of 
Alabama. She was later named the only female lieutenant to Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement. In this role, Amelia 
traveled alongside Dr. King and often appeared in his stead for various 
events and gatherings during the movement.
   Amelia is also best known for her leadership that led to the passage 
of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Amelia was such an integral part of 
the process that the contents of the bill were drafted at her kitchen 
table in Selma.
   On May 5, 1964, Amelia broke yet another barrier when she became the 
first woman in the state of Alabama to run for a congressional seat. 
She garnered 10.7 percent of the vote during a time when very few 
blacks were registered voters. Her historic run further solidified her 
impact on the movement for human rights in Alabama.
   When this extraordinary woman wasn't contributing her time to the 
causes of her generation, she worked as an educator, a home 
demonstrations agent with the Department of Agriculture, an insurance 
agent, an income tax preparer, and a real estate agent. She attended 
Georgia State Industrial School, which was renamed Savannah State 
University and Tuskegee Normal, which is now known as Tuskegee 
University.
   Without her courageous campaign for the 7th Congressional District, 
I know that my election to this seat in 2010 would not have been 
possible. Her sacrifices paved the way for me to walk the halls of 
Congress and I will carry my love and admiration for her in my heart 
each and every day. I will always cherish the time we spent together 
when she honored me as my special guest for the State of the Union on 
January 20, 2015. I am grateful for the memories of her greeting 
President Obama that night and I am so blessed to have called her a 
beloved mentor and friend.
   As she reminded us in life, there is still much work to be done for 
this nation to live up to its ideals of equality and justice for all. 
Let us be inspired by the extraordinary life of Amelia to keep striving 
and working towards a more perfect union. May we honor her by 
continuing her life's work. I ask my colleagues to join with me in 
saluting Mrs. Platts Amelia Boynton Robinson, an Alabama gem and an 
American treasure. Thank you.

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