[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 135 (Friday, August 12, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E846-E847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING DR. JOHN M. PERKINS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 12, 2022

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
tenacious and innovative gentleman, Dr. John M. Perkins.
  Dr. John Perkins (91-June 16, 1930) has been married to his wife, Dr. 
Vera Mae, for over 71 years (1951). In 1983, while in California, John 
and Vera Mae, along with his family and a few friends and other major 
supporters, established the John M. Perkins Foundation for 
Reconciliation & Development (now called John and Vera Mae Perkins 
Foundation) for the sole purpose of supporting their mission of 
advancing the principles of Christian community development (CCD) and 
Reconciliation throughout the world. The Foundation is now headed by 
his three daughters, Elizabeth, Priscilla and Deborah Perkins, who 
function as Co-Presidents. The Foundation is committed to spreading the 
wholistic Gospel of Jesus Christ.
  John M. Perkins was born in 1930, a sharecropper's son who grew up in 
New Hebron, Mississippi amidst dire poverty. His mother died of a 
malnutrition disease called Pellagra when John was only 7 months old. 
Fleeing to California at age 17 after his older brother's murder at the 
hands of a town marshal, he vowed never to return. However after his 
conversion to Christianity in 1957 and three-year discipleship, he and 
his young family returned to his home State of Mississippi in 1960 to 
share the Good News of God's love. While in Mississippi, his outspoken 
nature, as well as his support and leadership in Civil Rights 
demonstrations and voter registrations, resulted in repeated 
harassments, beatings and imprisonments.
  Drs. John and Vera Mae Perkins, with the support of friends, have 
founded many ministries, which focus on Christian community 
development, multi-ethnic church planting, health care, education, 
leadership development, legal assistant, thrift stores, low-income 
housing development, and training centers.
  1960--Voice of Calvary Ministries (Now Mendenhall Ministries in 
Mendenhall, MS)
  1972--Voice of Calvary Ministries, Jackson, MS
  1978--Christian Community Health Fellowship (CCHF) Memphis, TN
  1982--Harambee Christian Family Center, Pasadena, CA (now Harambee 
Ministries)
  1983--John M. Perkins Foundation (now John & Vera Mae Perkins 
Foundation)

[[Page E847]]

  1989--Christian Community Development Association (CCDA), Chicago, IL
  1995--Harambee Preparatory School, Pasadena, CA
  1999--Spencer Perkins Center, Jackson, MS (now the home of The John & 
Vera Mae Perkins Foundation)
  In 1982, the Perkins family returned to California and lived in the 
city of Pasadena where Perkins and his wife founded Harambee Ministries 
in Northwest Pasadena, a neighborhood that had one of the highest 
daytime crime rates in California. Harambee Ministries is yet standing, 
running numerous programs including after-school tutoring, Good News 
Bible Clubs, an award-winning technology center, summer day camp, youth 
internship programs, and a college scholarship program called Harambee 
Preparatory School (HPS).
  In 1989, John Perkins called together a group of Christian leaders 
from across America that was bonded by one significant commitment--
expressing the love of Christ in America's poor communities, not at 
arm's length, but at the grass-roots level. An association was formed 
and the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) held its 
first annual national conference in Chicago in 1989. CCDA has grown frm 
37 founding members to 3,500 annual national conference attendees.
  Despite being a third grade drop-out, Perkins has been recognized for 
his work with seventeen (17) honorary doctorates from colleges and 
universities across the country. Wheaton College bestowed his first 
Honorary Doctor of Law in 1980; Taylor University in 2015; Millsaps 
College in 2018; and Wesley Biblical Seminary being the most recent in 
2022.
  In 2005, Seattle Pacific University established. The John Perkins 
Center for Reconciliation & Justice. Since then, Dr. Perkins has been 
honored with Perkins Endowed Fellowships, Perkins Endowed Scholarships, 
Perkins Houses, Perkins Dorm Floor, and/or John M. Perkins Chair at: 
Calvin University, Northern Seminary, Wheaton College, University of 
Virginia, New Orleans Baptist Seminary, Indiana Wesley Seminary, 
Jackson State University, Wake Forest Divinity, and Moody Bible 
Institute.
  Dr. Perkins is an international speaker and teacher on 
reconciliation, leadership, and the philosophy of ministry known as 
Christian Community Development (CCD). he has served under five (5) 
United States Presidents. He is proud to have honorably served his 
country in the Korean War.
  Dr. Perkins is a best-selling author who has authored 17 books 
including his classic autobiography Let Justice Roll Down (Baker Books, 
20212, revised update), With Justice For All (Baker Books, 2011, 
revised update), Leadership Revolution: Developing the Vision & 
Practice of Freedom & Justice (Baker Books, 2012), A Quiet Revolution 
(Marshalls, 1985, revised update), Making Neighborhoods Whole: a 
Handbook for Christian Community Development (IVP Books, 2013), and Do 
All Lives Matter (Baker Books, 2017), Dream With Me (Baker Books, 
2017). His 3-part manifesto, One Blood (Moody Publications, 2018) is an 
Amazon #1 Best Seller-Christian Leadership; He Calls Me Friend (Moody 
Publications, 2019); and most recent release is Count It All Joy (Moody 
Publications, 2021).
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. John 
M. Perkins for his remarkable work.

                          ____________________