[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 8, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H1018]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING DR. HAROLD WILKINSON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a local hero 
from the borough of Swarthmore, Dr. Harold Wilkinson.
  Last month, at the age of 95, Dr. Wilkinson passed away peacefully in 
his sleep after a long life of exploration, inquiry, and service.
  Hal enlisted in the Army Air Corps at the age of 18 and served 
stateside through the end of World War II. After meeting his wife, 
Rosie, in medical school, the pair settled in Swarthmore, where he 
opened a family medical practice and she worked as a pediatrician for 
children with developmental disabilities.
  For 42 years, Hal maintained his practice, serving generations of 
Swarthmore residents. He was known for making house calls long after it 
went out of fashion, continuing his service into his seventies.
  After his wife, Rosie, passed away, Hal was lucky enough to marry 
another local legend, Sandy Sparrow, a beloved former elementary school 
principal with whom he continued to travel the world.
  Dr. Wilkinson was a pillar of our community, an iconic figure who 
could be seen strolling with his friends or his rescue dog, Dugan, 
until late last year. A beloved friend to many, Hal was always 
interested in hearing the latest updates from friends and neighbors and 
exploring the world around him.
  As the borough of Swarthmore mourns his passing, our hearts are with 
Hal's family. We were all so lucky to have known him.


               Celebrating the Life of Octavius V. Catto

  Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a Philadelphia 
hero, Octavius V. Catto.
  If you come to Philadelphia, you will see a statue of Octavius Catto 
on the south side of City Hall. It is the city's first public statue 
honoring an individual African American.
  Throughout his life, Catto was an outspoken activist for the 
abolition of slavery and for equal rights for Black Americans. During 
the Civil War, he joined Frederick Douglass and other Black leaders to 
recruit African Americans to join the fight for emancipation. After the 
war, Catto continued his advocacy and successfully fought to 
desegregate Philadelphia's streetcars.
  Catto was a man of many accomplishments. He graduated from the 
Institute for Colored Youth, which is now Pennsylvania-05's own Cheyney 
University, the first HBCU in the country. He also ran the undefeated 
Pythian Baseball Club of Philadelphia, a Negro League baseball team 
that played the first Black versus White game.
  However, the most enduring part of Catto's legacy is his efforts to 
secure the right to vote for Black Americans. He was a champion for 
suffrage and fought to ensure that no one would be denied access to the 
ballot box.
  Ultimately, his life's work brought about Catto's untimely death. On 
October 10, 1871, the first election day that Black men were allowed to 
vote in Philadelphia, 32-year-old Catto was shot and killed by a White 
mob trying to stop the Black vote.
  Octavius Catto's life and sacrifice are an important reminder of the 
importance of continuing his work and honoring his legacy today to 
ensure that all Americans have the freedom to vote free from mob rule, 
gerrymandering, and other efforts to silence their voices.

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