[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 174 (Monday, December 5, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1581]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PEARLIE EVANS DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE
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HON. WM. LACY CLAY
of missouri
in the house of representatives
Monday, December 5, 2016
Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I delivered the following remarks on behalf of
my father, former Congressman William (Bill) Clay, at the funeral of
Pearlie Evans on Saturday, November 26, 2016, in St. Louis, Missouri.
My friendship with Pearlie spans more than 50 years. During
that time we worked together, laughed together, cried
together, and raised a lot of hell together.
I first met Pearlie Evans in the early 1960s when a close
political associate, Arthur Kennedy, introduced us. He and I
had just helped A.J. Cervantes get elected. The new mayor
asked me to recommend someone to fill the position of
Commissioner of Social Services.
I invited Pearlie to lunch and offered her the position.
She was honored but turned down the offer--telling me of her
deep devotion in helping residents at the Fellowship Center
and Plymouth House. Without any success, I mentioned that her
salary would have been twice that at Fellowship Center and
help many more people like those at the Plymouth House. Then,
I took her to lunch twice and once to dinner before she
agreed.
Finally, a well-fed Pearlie Evans accepted the offer and
performed exceptionally well in the position.
Her background in social work, dealing with grassroots,
ghetto residents, allowed her to develop a realistic grasp of
the problems faced by low-income, unemployed, poverty
stricken individuals. She provided the compassion and know-
how in closing the gap that kept many of them from resolving
their woes.
Having disdain and contempt for all kinds of
discrimination and segregation, her agenda was about
identifying injustice and reshaping our society until it
adjusted to accommodate the needs of its underprivileged.
When my first District Director left, I asked Pearlie to
run my congressional district office. But this time I knew
better than to invite her to lunch or dinner. She accepted
and made an ideal District Director for the next 28 years.
Perhaps, more than anyone else other than my wife Carol,
Pearlie was able to successfully put up with me and all my
audaciousness, my insolence, my sarcasm and my bluster. Her
simple response of ``ohhhhhhh, Congressman'' more often than
not was the perfect tonic to calm a rough or chaotic
situation. She was by my side through good times and bad. Her
advice and counsel was usually sound.
Pearlie was also a pioneer in politics who developed a new
strategy for advancing the cause of civil rights and
enhancing opportunities. She ushered in the concept that it
was time to stop begging for what was ours by citizenship and
to start demanding rights that were ours by birth. She played
a key role in our developing the political apparatus capable
of delivering lopsided margins in electing candidates. She
had the unique ability to attract and surround us with people
of wisdom, vision, integrity and commitment to racial
equality.
She joined a cadre of other outstanding women like Gwen
Giles, Ruth Porter, Deverne Calloway, Marian Oldham and many
others that enabled our group to convince many to overcome
their political apathy and to reject disgraceful absentee
elected officials pretending to represent our interests.
I owe a great deal of my political success to committed
and dedicated women like Pearlie. In my elections to
Congress, women managed all of my campaigns: Doris Moore,
Gwen Giles, Gwen Reed and Pearlie Evans each served as
campaign managers in all 16 of them.
Pearlie, Virginia Cook, and Gwen Reed also played a key
role in electing my son Lacy Clay to Congress.
Pearlie journeyed through a career that forced the
political system to change the face of our politics and to
provide us with people who truly voiced our legitimate
concerns.
She was always on the picket lines, at the sit-ins, in the
marches for school equality, wherever the protests against
injustice were being waged. She was there to give active
support in campaigns that changed the landscape of bigoted
policies and replaced them with opportunities for minorities
in St. Louis.
Very few lived their life with the enthusiasm, the
commitment, the determination, the gusto of Pearlie. She
lived every day with the intent of giving back to the
community and enhancing the lives of those denied the
benefits of humane treatment. In touching their lives, it was
a testament to her endearing respect for each individual's
humanity.
Carol and I join with you in acknowledging that she was an
uncommon lady with a phenomenal effect on those of us who
were graced by her presence. She was something special,
something beautiful, something precious.
Although Pearlie would tell us not to shed tears for her
but rather for a world that is suffering the ravages of war,
disease, hunger and racism--still, without ignoring her
request not to shed tears for her passing, we are obligated
to shed tears for future generations that will never
experience the sight of her doing battle with the giants of
society who have profited from exploiting those unable to
fight back. We mourn for those who will never bear witness to
her unyielding fight against bureaucratic bigots in fighting
for racial justice.
Yes, Pearlie, when remembering you, what you stood for,
how much of your mission is yet unfulfilled, our tears are
justified. We cry today because we will have no more
tomorrows with you. But we thank God for all the yesterdays
we spent with you.
We remember all of the good you have done, all of the
people you have helped, all of the causes you have
championed. We take comfort in the fact that our community,
our state and our nation are better as a result of your
having been here.
We have witnessed in you a towering, incredible, noble,
dedicated defender of what's right--so we say in all
sincerity--so long, our courageous sister in the struggle for
equal justice--so long!
____________________