[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 23, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO ACEL MOORE SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT A. BRADY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 23, 2016

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life 
of Acel Moore Sr., a journalist who was a trailblazing change agent who 
died on Jan. 12. Born in South Philadelphia in 1940, he joined the U.S. 
Army after graduating high school. And then he decided to set his 
sights on a career in journalism and was hired as a clerk at the 
Philadelphia Inquirer. During his 43-year career at the Inquirer, he 
rose through the ranks from clerk to reporter, columnist, member and 
associate editor of the editorial board and ultimately was named the 
newspaper's Associate Editor Emeritus. Along the way he was awarded a 
Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting and was named a Nieman 
Fellow at Harvard University.
  While his primary focus was reporting the news, he also dedicated 
himself to opening the doors of the esteemed fourth estate to 
minorities. He was a founder of the Association of Black Journalists 
and the National Association of Black Journalists. And, because of his 
advocacy the complexion of journalists in newsrooms across the nation 
changed. He also co-produced and hosted a groundbreaking television 
program, on PBS, ``Black Perspective on the News.'' The program 
attracted African American journalists from across the country, 
focusing on national issues.
  In spite of his accomplishments he never stopped being a man of the 
people, proudly representing his community. He was as comfortable 
interviewing mayors, judges and congresspersons as he was interviewing 
sanitation workers and the lady on the block holding a bat as she 
attempted to rid her neighborhood of gang violence.
  Today there are hundreds of young people of color who are working 
journalists because they were mentored by Mr. Moore, or they were part 
of minority high school journalism programs he began or were simply 
inspired by his advocacy to make American journalism more inclusive.
  With his death we have lost a powerful voice, but he has left such a 
legacy of dedication to journalism, justice and inclusion that we are 
all forever changed.