[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 55 (Friday, March 29, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E369-E370]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING ASKIA MUHAMMAD

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 29, 2019

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in celebrating Askia Muhammad on his 40th 
anniversary as the volunteer host of the Tuesday Jazz program known as 
``Yardbird Sweets'' on WPFW-89.3 FM.
  Askia Muhammad has been a journalist in the Nation's Capital since 
1977, covering the White House, Capitol Hill and District of Columbia 
affairs, including the Statehood movement.
  Askia Muhammad began as a volunteer Jazz producer at Pacifica Radio's 
``Jazz and Justice'' WPFW-89.3 FM in September 1977 as co-host of 
``Noontime Notes.'' On Tuesday March 27, 1979 Askia Muhammad hosted his 
first edition of ``Yardbird Sweets,'' taking the name of the program 
from the theme song he chose--Yardbird Suite--by Charlie ``Yardbird'' 
Parker.
  Over the years that Mr. Muhammad has spent broadcasting Jazz and 
poetry to Washington listeners on WPFW-89.3 FM, several milestone world 
events have been broadcast on his program, including: the tragic 
explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986; the release of 
Nelson Mandela (broadcast live) from prison in South Africa in 1990; 
the Million Man March, 1995 (live); the 2009 Inauguration of President 
Barack Obama (live); and countless interviews with poets, performers, 
professors and protestors.
  In 1994 Askia Muhammad received the D.C. Mayor's Award for 
``Excellence in Service to

[[Page E370]]

the Arts''--D.C.'s ``Oscar for the Arts;'' and in 1993 he received the 
Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) ``President's 
Award.'' He served twice as a judge of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism 
Awards and twice as a judge of the National Newspaper Publishers 
Association Merit Awards. His commentaries on The Tavis Smiley Show on 
NPR won First Place in 2003 and 2004 in the Salute to Excellence Award 
competition of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and 
his commentaries for Pacifica Radio won First Place in 2002 in the NABJ 
Salute to Excellence competition. He is an award-winner for best 
editorial column in the 2017 National Newspaper Publishers Association.
  During his tenure as host of ``Yardbird Sweets'' on WPFW-89.3 FM, 
Askia Muhammad has produced nine nationally broadcast documentaries for 
the ``Soundprint'' public radio series; his articles have appeared in 
USA Today, The Washington Post, The Nation, The Washington Informer, 
The Richmond Free Press, Jet, The Baltimore Sun, The Boston Globe, and 
The Los Angeles Times. He has been a commentator on W*USA-TV9's 
``Capital Edition,'' a host and panelist on WHUT-TV32's ``Evening 
Exchange,'' and on the WOL-Radio One News Talk Network. He was an 
original panelist on the syndicated television program, ``America's 
Black Forum;'' for more than 20 years, from 1981 through 2003 and a 
regular commentator on National Public Radio's (NPR's) ``All Things 
Considered,'' and ``The Tavis Smiley Show,'' and a regular commentator 
for several years on Christian Science Monitor Radio, and Public Radio 
International's ``Marketplace.''
  Askia Muhammad is a husband, father and grandfather. March 26, 2019 
marked the 40th anniversary of Askia Muhammad's Tuesday morning radio 
program on Pacifica Radio's WPFW-89.3 FM.
  Madam Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in 
recognizing Askia Muhammad for his work on WPFW over the past 40 years.

                          ____________________