[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 192 (Tuesday, December 3, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF GARTH C. REEVES, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 3, 2019

  Mr. HASTINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor 
the life and legacy of Mr. Garth C. Reeves, Sr. who sadly passed away 
in November at the age of 100. Garth was the publisher emeritus of The 
Miami Times and a voice for the aspirations of African Americans in 
Miami for most of the past century. He was a man of principle, who 
after serving in the United States Army during World War II, worked to 
improve his community through civil rights activism, journalism, and 
publishing.
  Garth was born in Nassau, Bahamas in 1919. He attended Florida A&M 
University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in printing in 
1940. He served in both the European and Pacific theaters during World 
War II, from 1942 to 1946, and later returned to Miami to work under 
his father, Henry Reeves, who founded The Miami Times newspaper.
  Garth dedicated his life to resisting and fighting racism. Taking the 
helm as publisher and chief executive officer of The Miami Times 
following his father's passing, he advanced the cause of civil rights 
and challenged segregation laws with acts of civil disobedience. In 
1949, when African Americans were only allowed to play golf on Mondays, 
he showed up to play on a Wednesday. Garth and others sued for equal 
access to the golf course and won after a seven-year court battle. And 
in the 1950s, he was among the first to swim at Crandon Park in 
defiance of laws that designated it a whites only beach. Today, these 
may appear to be small acts, but they raised up the black community and 
highlighted the systemic inequalities facing African Americans each and 
every day.
  Garth's good works didn't stop there. He provided scholarships for 
students to attend his alma maters, Booker T. Washington High School 
and Florida A&M University, and he donated to The Black Archives/Lyric 
Theater. It is no surprise that in 2011, he was recognized by the 
National Newspaper Publishers Association with the Legacy of Excellence 
Award, and The Miami Times named as the top black newspaper in the 
country. More recently, he was inducted into the National Association 
of Black Journalists' Hall of Fame in 2017.
  Madam Speaker, Garth C. Reeves, Sr. was a champion for our community 
and positively impacted the lives of countless people in Miami and 
around our nation. I extend my deepest condolences to his family during 
this extremely difficult time. Garth was a true blessing to so many. 
His legacy will always endure. I am proud to have called him a friend. 
He will be dearly missed.

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