[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 159 (Wednesday, October 4, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE NEW JERSEY STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NAACP

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 4, 2017

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the New 
Jersey State Conference of the NAACP as it holds its annual convention 
in the Township of Parsippany, part of New Jersey's 111th Congressional 
District. I am honored to have Morris County host the nation's oldest 
and largest civil rights organization. The New Jersey State Conference 
of the NAACP is commended for bringing together advocates in one place 
under the theme: ``Relating to the Past, Understanding the Present, 
Preparing for the future.''
  The NAACP has more than 500,000 members throughout the world serving 
as key leaders in civil rights, campaigning for equal opportunity and 
conducting voter mobilization. New Jersey, the nation's most densely 
populated state, has 41 branches, 9 college chapters, a prison unit, 15 
youth councils, and 2 high school chapters devoting its time, through 
volunteerism, to close the gaps of inequality in the many social issues 
challenging us today--health, employment, education, justice, media and 
the environment. New Jerseyans are working hard to ensure the legacies 
of the great Civil Rights Leaders before us, live on. Richard T. Smith, 
New Jersey's NAACP Chapter President, was just named one of New 
Jersey's ``Most Influential African-Americans'' in South Jersey 
Journal. In Richard's words, ``we will fight for freedom until all 
people have realized the equal hand of justice.'' With esteemed 
commendation, I thank Mr. Smith for his leadership and wish the New 
Jersey State NAACP conference a successful convention and year ahead.
  By bringing together the state's leaders in education, religion, 
business, health care, public policy, and social advocacy, the 
convention fosters the very conversations we need to be having in order 
to break down racial barriers, move the nation forward and reach 
equality for Americans once and for all.

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