[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 60 (Thursday, April 6, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E474-E475]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING BRONX COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY DARCEL CLARK

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 2017

  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, we recently celebrated Black History Month 
this past February. During my office's annual Black History Month 
Celebration, I was honored to reflect on the tremendous contributions 
African-Americans have made within my district in Bronx County, and to 
recognize several outstanding individuals contributing to their 
community. Let me mention one of those people today--Bronx County 
District Attorney Darcel Clark. She is the first woman in this 
position, the first female African-American District Attorney in the 
state of New York, and has been a trailblazer for criminal justice 
throughout her professional career.
  District Attorney Clark became the District Attorney for our county 
on January 1, 2016. Prior to her election, District Attorney Clark 
served as an Associate Justice for the New York State Supreme Court 
Appellate Division, First Department; a New York State Supreme Court 
Justice in Bronx County; and a Criminal Court Judge in Bronx and New 
York Counties. She spent more than 16 years on the bench.
  District Attorney Clark is also a lifelong Bronxite, raised in 
NYCHA's Soundview Houses. She attended public schools in New York City, 
graduating from Harry S Truman High School. She attended Boston College 
and received her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science where she was 
the first recipient of the University's Martin Luther King, Jr., 
Memorial Scholarship. She then went on to earn her law degree at the 
Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C.
  District Attorney Clark returned home in 1986 to begin her legal 
career at the Bronx District Attorney's Office. She prosecuted many 
cases, including drug felonies, violent crimes, and homicides. District 
Attorney Clark served as a Supervising ADA in the Narcotics Bureau and 
the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Court Bureau. In 1999, she left the 
Office for her first judicial post.
  District Attorney Clark also serves on the Boston College Board of 
Trustees and has served in leadership positions in the National 
Association of Women Judges and the Black Bar Association of Bronx 
County.
  Throughout her career in public service, District Attorney Clark has 
worked to ensure fairness, accountability, and justice for Bronxites. 
In her new role as Bronx County District Attorney, she has already made 
the office more responsive, and worked to reduce case delays that have 
diminished trust in our system of justice. She is an important role 
model to all in our community, and I look forward to working with her 
in the years to come.
  Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask that you and my other distinguished 
colleagues join me in honoring Ms. Darcel Clark for her tireless work 
to ensure justice and commitment to the people of the Bronx.

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