[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 108 (Thursday, June 11, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING DR. CLINTON VASSETT TURNER, SR.

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                        HON. A. DONALD McEACHIN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 11, 2020

  Mr. McEACHIN. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
honor and recognize the esteemed Dr. Clinton Vassett Turner, Sr., a 
public servant and educator who dedicated his life to promoting the 
welfare of others.
  Dr. Turner left a lasting legacy, and the Commonwealth of Virginia is 
indebted to him for his years of service to our institutions of higher 
education. I greatly admire his dedication to academia, and the capable 
leadership that he brought to the roles he assumed, including at 
Virginia State University, Virginia Tech, and the Virginia state 
government.
  As the first African-American in the nation to hold a cabinet-level 
position in a state department of agriculture, Dr. Turner succeeded in 
the face of adversity and became a role model for young people across 
our Commonwealth. Dr. Turner was recognized countless times for his 
remarkable achievements, including receiving the 1994 Virginia Man of 
the Year Award, and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State 
University Agricultural Alumni Organization Distinguished Service 
Citation. I am especially pleased to see his name memorialized as the 
first Virginian in the George Washington Carver Public Service Hall of 
Fame.
  Dr. Turner challenged us to work with humble devotion to improve the 
lives of those around us, and I have no doubt that his legacy will 
continue to inspire generations of young men and women to pursue a life 
of service through academic excellence.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing our 
deepest condolences to Dr. Turner's family, and in honoring his life's 
work.

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