[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 36 (Monday, February 28, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING TAMPA'S LOCAL TRAILBLAZER, ROBERT SCOTT, JR., IN HONOR OF 
                          BLACK HISTORY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 28, 2022

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, this Black History Month, I am 
proud to celebrate local trailblazers who have lifted up our community 
and those who dedicate their time and talent to preserve local African 
American heritage. I rise today in immense gratitude of Robert Scott, 
Jr., a lifetime public servant. Mr. Scott was born in 1954 and it was 
during an impressionable age when he witnessed segregation, brutality, 
marches, resisting through nonviolence and the numerous assassinations 
of national civil rights activists and prominent figures, such as Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X, as well as Robert F. and John F. 
Kennedy. But he also witnessed the change and improvements that 
emanated. His parents were Robert, an insurance agent and Doris Scott, 
a school principal. He graduated from Chamberlain High School and then 
from Bethune Cookman University with a bachelor's degree in business 
administration. He also graduated from the University of South Florida 
Institute of Government Executive Fellows Program.
  Mr. Scott started with the City of Tampa as a personnel analyst and 
retired after 30 years as Division Manager of its Solid Waste 
Department in 2010. During his decades of service, he witnessed 
improvements in leadership and was proud to be part of diversifying 
leadership within city government. For decades, City of Tampa and 
Hillsborough County employees supported an annual local MLK tribute 
through a scholarship fund and downtown march, and Mr. Scott was part 
of that effort during his tenure at the City of Tampa. He also served 
on the City of Tampa Black History Committee. He is now the owner of 
Scott Travel Agency, which specializes in group and cruise travel to 
all regions of the world. He understands that learning about other 
cultures provides a better perspective of how to treat people. Mr. 
Scott was one of the founders that established the MLK Foundation to 
build a family-friendly parade that started in 2015, fund scholarships 
for deserving students and honor community heroes that uphold the 
legacy of Dr. King. Today, the MLK Foundation hosts one of the largest 
MLK parades in the southeastern United States and engages with 
businesses, community organizations and entertainment--over the past 
few years, numerous bands from Historically Black Colleges & 
Universities have participated in the annual parade. In fact, 2022 was 
the first time ever that the largest HBCU bands in the country, 
Florida's own Bethune Cookman University and Florida A&M University, 
marched together. He hopes Tampa's MLK parade inspires all cities 
throughout the state to host their own in an effort to unify entire 
communities.
  Mr. Scott has been a member of First Union Missionary Baptist Church 
for 48 years. He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and a 32nd 
degree Mason. He has served on other boards and committees such as the 
National Safety Council Executive Board, American Cancer Society, 
Gasparilla Parade, Super Bowl committee, and is a Certified Manager of 
the Solid Waste Association of North America. He is married to his 
beautiful wife, Barbara, and has four children, Michael, Pavonne, 
Robert III and Jason.
  Mr. Scott understands fully how remembering our history, no matter 
how dark, can be used towards a better future. He also knows that 
preserving our own heritage is just as important as learning about 
other heritages from all over the world. Madam Speaker, on behalf of a 
grateful nation and Tampa Bay community, I am proud to recognize the 
service and leadership of Robert Scott, Jr.

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