[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 23, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING JOHN A. WICKS, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 23, 2016

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
remarkable public servant, John A. Wicks, Jr., who is a native of 
Jackson, Mississippi.
  John A. Wicks, Jr. is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Wicks, Sr. of 
Jackson. He attended Jackson Public Schools and graduated from Murrah 
High School. He then matriculated at Alcorn State University in Lorman, 
Mississippi where he received a B.S. degree in Computer Science and 
Applied Mathematics and was the valedictorian of his graduating class. 
While at Alcorn, Brother Wicks was active in many organizations and 
served as president of both Alpha Kappa Mu honor society and the Alpha 
Zeta chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Brother Wicks went on 
to obtain a M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A 
& T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina and a Ph.D. in 
Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia where 
he also served as president of the Black Graduate Student Organization. 
He has taught Computer Engineering at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, 
Alabama and Computer Science at Jackson State University in Jackson, 
Mississippi.
  In October 1977, Brother Wicks accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and 
Savior, uniting with New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, 
where he was active in the youth department. In May 1997, while working 
as an instructor at Tuskegee University, he acknowledged the call to 
preach the gospel. Subsequently, he attended the Montgomery Bible 
Institute in Montgomery, Alabama and served as an associate minister at 
Greater Peace Baptist Church in Opelika, Alabama. In August 1998, 
Brother Wicks began service as an associate minister at New Hope 
Baptist Church in Jackson. In August 2000, he accepted the call to 
serve as the interim pastor of Mount Nebo Baptist Church in Jackson. On 
January 18, 2001, Brother Wicks was elected to serve as Mount Nebo's 
sixth pastor and was installed on March 25th.
  In addition to his pastoral duties at Mount Nebo, Brother Wicks has 
served on various community boards including the Mission Mississippi 
Resource Development Committee. He has also served as a writer for the 
Clarion-Ledger Faith Forum and is currently serving as the State 
Director of Education for the General Missionary Baptist State 
Convention of Mississippi, Inc., and the Senior Vice-Moderator of the 
Jackson District Missionary Baptist Association.
  Brother Wicks has been the recipient of various awards and accolades 
including the Metro-Jackson chapter of the NAACP 2008 Medgar Evers 
Award winner, a Mississippi Gospel Music Awards 2011 Pastor of the Year 
honoree, and the 2011 Image Award Winner for Religion bestowed by Phi 
Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He is married to the former Felice L. Dowd, 
a native of Marks, Mississippi, and they have three children, John 
Arthur III, Faith Alexandria and Grace Elizabeth. Finally, Brother 
Wicks' motto is traditional, tried and true: ``To God be the glory for 
the many wonderful things He has done!''
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Pastor 
John A. Wicks, Jr. for his dedication to serving others.

                          ____________________