[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 16, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E656-E657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  REMEMBER1NG DR. SAMUEL L. MYERS, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 16, 2021

  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, my district, the State of Maryland, and our 
country have lost an extraordinary citizen, an outstanding contributor 
to education and leader for Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities (HBCUs). Dr. Samuel L. Myers, who was a trailblazer for 
equality and a pioneer in economics and higher education, passed away 
at the age of 101 on January 8 and will be remembered at a memorial 
service later this month. I was honored to know him and work closely 
with him over the years to advance the important causes he championed.
  Born in Baltimore, Dr. Myers was the son of Jamaican immigrants and 
grew up in a home that strongly valued education and public service. 
After earning his undergraduate degree in 1940 from Morgan State 
University and a master's degree from Boston University in 1942--both 
in economics--he was drafted into the U.S. Army and rose to the rank of 
Captain while serving in the Pacific Theater. At the time, of course, 
our military was segregated, and Dr. Myers was a trailblazer in 
speaking out against the injustices facing African-American 
servicemembers, risking court martial. Following his honorable 
discharge from service in 1946, he studied at Harvard University and 
completed his doctorate in economics in 1949, studying with some of the 
most renowned scholars at that time, including John Kenneth Galbraith.
  As an economist, Dr. Myers focused on inequalities and the effects of 
segregation on African-American businesses and families. That interest 
led him into government service, and he worked as a research economist 
for the Bureau of Labor Statistics while teaching at his alma mater of 
Morgan State. Recognizing his leadership abilities and his deep 
commitment to education, Bowie State University selected him as its 
fourth president in 1968. During his tenure, which lasted until 1977, 
Dr. Myers reshaped Maryland's oldest HBCU and laid the groundwork for 
its success, preparing graduates to seize the opportunities of our 
twenty-first century economy. While pioneering the launch of computer 
science programs and new educational practices, he worked to secure 
funding for new buildings to replace those that were crumbling and 
dilapidated, and he supported students who had protested against unfair 
budgets that disadvantaged historically African-American campuses in 
Maryland and nationwide.
  In 1977, Dr. Myers stepped down as President of Bowie State 
University but continued his passionate commitment to HBCUs. He became 
President of the National Association for

[[Page E657]]

Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) and continued to lead 
that organization for eighteen years. In that capacity, he lobbied for 
HBCUs and was instrumental in the 1980 Executive Order, signed by 
President Carter, directing that federal funding for higher education 
be prioritized for HBCUs, a principle that has since been expanded to 
include institutions serving Hispanic and Native American tribal 
communities. The recipient of many awards and recognitions for his 
contributions to equality in education, Dr. Myers continued even after 
his retirement from overseeing NAFEO to be a leader in this national 
effort, chairing the board of Minority Access, which helps build 
partnerships between minority-serving institutions and major research 
universities. He was also a longstanding supporter of foreign language 
programs and cultural exchanges that expand young Americans' views of 
our world and help build bridges with students and scholars from other 
nations.
  Dr. Myers will be remembered as a man of vision and of service. His 
legacy will not be forgotten by the millions of students who were able 
to access high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs and pursue 
their dreams because of his tireless efforts. Maryland will long 
remember Dr. Samuel L. Myers among the pantheon of our great native 
sons and daughters who dedicated their lives and careers to the 
improvement of our society, the expansion of opportunities, and the 
cause of justice and equality for all.
  I offer my condolences to his children, Dr. Yvette Myers and Dr. 
Samuel Myers, Jr., along with their families. Their father now joins 
their wonderful mother Marion Myers--who was his partner for sixty-four 
years--and their sister Judge Tama Clark, who passed away last year, in 
peaceful eternal rest. May his memory continue to bless and inspire so 
many in Maryland and in our country to pursue service and help build a 
more perfect union for future generations of Americans.

                          ____________________