[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 118 (Friday, June 26, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E576-E577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN MEMORY OF MR. ANDRE MOSES WHITE

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 26, 2020

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and 
solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to an accomplished 
businessman, athlete, artist, and dear friend of longstanding--Mr. 
Andre Moses White. Sadly, Mr. White passed away on Tuesday, June 9, 
2020, from complications with COVID-19. A memorial service honoring his 
life was held on Saturday, June 20, 2020, at 11:00 am at the Georgia 
International Convention Center in College Park, Georgia.
  Andre Moses White (affectionately known as ``Moses'' to his family, 
friends, and colleagues) was born in Winter Park, Florida, to the union 
of the late Moses and Lucille White. He was born on October 7, 1944, 
and was the youngest of three sons.
  He attended Middleton High School in Tampa, Florida, and Lincoln High 
School in Tallahassee, Florida. After graduating high school, he 
attended Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), where he 
received a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and played as a 
Tight End under FAMU's legendary coach, Jake Gaither.
  Upon graduation, Moses was drafted by the Denver Broncos, thus 
beginning his career in the National Football League, where he also 
played for the San Diego Chargers and was one of the first African 
Americans to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals.
  Following a career-ending injury, he returned to Tampa, Florida, and 
became the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Officer for 
Hillsborough County, where he is most well-known for fighting to remove 
the confederate flag from the county seal--a feat that was finally 
accomplished in 2015.
  Moses continued his father's legacy in food and music by overseeing 
the family's historic restaurant, Moses White's Cozy Corner BBQ 
restaurant, and by working in the entertainment industry alongside 
icons such as Marvin Gaye and James Brown. Later on, at the age of 71, 
Moses went on to release two digital singles titled ``We're Americans'' 
and ``My Man'' under the name ``Moses White.''
  After moving to Atlanta in 1988, he and his son, Andre, started The 
Georgia Sentinel, a progressive news outlet for Atlanta's African 
American community. While laying his foundation there, he served as the 
President of the Auburn Avenue Merchants Association, where he re-
established the Auburn Avenue Festival (a pre-cursor to Music Midtown), 
which hosted the return of James Brown and the Famous Flames for a free 
reunion concert for the community.
  Moses cared about his community and was always engaged in 
organizations that did positive work. His most notable roles were as 
the Founder and President of the Moses White Foundation, which strives 
to improve the quality of life for the underprivileged in Tampa through 
education, community revitalization,

[[Page E577]]

and individual empowerment; as a Board Member of Wayfield Foods, where 
he played Wayfield's Santa Clause for nearly 30 years and brought joy 
to thousands of inner-city kids and their families during the holidays; 
and as a cherished member of the National Grocers Association, which is 
in the process of developing a scholarship fund in his name to benefit 
young African-Americans seeking a career in food retail.
  Maya Angelou once said, ``A great soul serves everyone all the time. 
A great soul never dies.'' Andre Moses White is undoubtedly great 
because of his distinguished service to his community, devotion to his 
craft, and the compassion he showed for his friends and loved ones.
  Moses accomplished much in his life, but none of this would have been 
possible without the Grace of God; the love and support of his late 
wife, Joyce; his children, Andre, Andrea, Richard, and Raulnina; and a 
host of family, friends, and loved ones who will miss him deeply.
  On a personal note, I will always cherish the friendship my wife and 
I shared with Moses and Joyce. They were both very special people and 
we enjoyed every opportunity we had to fellowship together. The 
kindness of their spirits truly revealed the timbre of their character.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me, 
along with the more than 730,000 residents of Georgia's Second 
Congressional District, in paying tribute to Mr. Andre Moses White and 
in extending our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and loved 
ones during this difficult time of bereavement. Moreover, we pray that 
we will all be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy 
Spirit in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

                          ____________________