[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 8, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H772-H775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1830
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 9, 2023, the gentleman from California (Mr. Cardenas) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I am very honored to be a Member in this
Chamber of the House of Representatives, very proud to have been
blessed to be born an American citizen, and very proud to be raised by
my immigrant parents in this great country in a community called
Pacoima.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Black History Month.
My neighborhood of Pacoima has a long and rich history of wonderful,
beautiful, amazing Black Americans, untold stories and uncelebrated
heroes who have shaped the San Fernando Valley and my neighborhood of
Pacoima, the community I call home, the community in which my immigrant
parents raised my 10 brothers and sisters and me.
This is the community that gave us our first Latino United States
Senator to represent the great State of California, Senator Alex
Padilla.
A little-known fact is that the first Congressmember from Pacoima and
San Fernando High School is my esteemed colleague, the Honorable
Barbara Lee. As a teenager, Congresswoman Barbara Lee began her
activism when she refused to accept the segregation of her high school
cheerleading squad.
Rather than accept this injustice, she challenged the White majority
school and turned to the local chapter of the
[[Page H773]]
NAACP to advocate to allow minorities the opportunity to be
cheerleaders.
Congresswoman Lee was victorious and won the right to cheer for her
school. She was the first African-American cheerleader in the history
of our high school, San Fernando High School. She is now a champion for
justice as a United States Congresswoman.
The history of Black Americans in Pacoima dates back to World War II.
Following the war, due to racist redline policies, African-American
families were only able to purchase homes in communities such as
Compton in South Los Angeles, Sun Village in the high desert, and
Pacoima in the San Fernando Valley.
By 1960, almost all of the 10,000 African Americans in the San
Fernando Valley lived in Pacoima. This community became the center of
African-American life in the San Fernando Valley. Pacoima was known as
California's first Black suburb.
One of the examples was the development of the Joe Louis Homes. These
homes were the only hope and opportunity for African Americans to have
home ownership. These homes were named after the former heavyweight
boxing champion whose name was used as a ruse to steer Black buyers to
Pacoima. Joe Louis had little or nothing to do with these real estate
developments. But from this, African Americans living in Pacoima set
the foundation of the beautiful community that I call home.
It is a history filled with heartbreak and tragedy, hope and
inspiration. Pacoima's Black history is a thread that keeps our
community together.
I will use this opportunity to spotlight community leaders that are
the cornerstone of our history of Pacoima, religious leaders like the
Broadous family.
The Broadous name is embedded in Pacoima history through the
countless contributions made by Reverend Broadous and his family.
Reverend Hillery T. Broadous was the founder of Pacoima's Calvary
Baptist Church and served the community faithfully. He helped organize
the San Fernando Valley chapter of the NAACP and led efforts to build
the Hubert H. Humphrey Memorial Recreation Center.
Reverend Broadous was a World War II veteran. He owned and operated a
successful barbershop before he turned to the ministry in 1952. In May
of 1955, he founded Calvary Baptist Church of Pacoima.
Through Calvary Baptist Church, he played a fundamental role in
bringing healthcare, educational, and recreational opportunities to our
community.
The former Filmore Street School is now named in honor of Reverend
Hillery T. Broadous.
In 2022, Hillery T. Broadous Elementary School administration,
parents, and students, along with local artist Juan Reyes, painted the
largest mural in the Los Angeles Unified School District in honor of
the contributions he and his family made to the Pacoima community.
Mother Rosa Lee Broadous co-founded Calvary Baptist Church with her
husband Hillery in 1955 and served as vice president of the first board
of directors of the Pacoima NAACP.
Her legendary involvement in community organizations included Church
Women United, Braille Institute, Fair Housing Council, Pacoima
Coordinating Council, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, PTA, Los Angeles Public
Library, and the YWCA.
She was also the first to organize Negro History Week programs in the
San Fernando Valley. She served as a board member of Valley Interfaith
Council, charged with overseeing local senior citizen centers.
Reverend Hillery and Mother Rosa Lee Broadous raised 10 amazing
children, six of them pursuing religious and community causes.
Unfortunately, three of the Broadouses are no longer with us.
The Broadous children include Reverend Alicia Broadous-Duncan, the
oldest of 10 children. In the late 1970s, she became a minister. She
was a fierce advocate for seniors and served as the executive director
of the Northeast Valley Multipurpose Senior Center. In 1990, she was
tapped to head the merger of what had been two senior centers into one
large facility, serving the diverse northeast San Fernando Valley with
a team of over 80 staffers.
The services provided at the senior centers are critical to the
thousands of seniors living in our community. They provide instrumental
resources on nutrition programs, arts programming, socializing
activities, and transportation.
After her unfortunate passing, the center was renamed in honor of
her, the Alicia Broadous-Duncan Multipurpose Senior Center. The center
continues to serve as a community hub for our entire neighborhood.
Apostle William T. Broadous was the leader of Calvary Baptist
following his father's legacy, where he established the Children's
Church at Calvary, the Calvary Baptist Church Social Service Ministry,
and the Calvary Baptist Koinonia Bookstore.
Apostle Broadous led ministry trips to Africa, campaigned against
street violence, set up a Latino ministry, and advocated for formerly
incarcerated individuals and for economic development in the northeast
Valley.
The city of Los Angeles dedicated the intersection of Vaughn Street
and Dronfield Avenue in honor of Apostle William T. Broadous.
Reverend Arthur Lee Broadous. Reverend Arthur was the musical soul of
the Broadous family. He was the choir leader and former director of the
Pacoima Community Youth Cultural Center Choir. Reverend Arthur served
as the San Fernando Valley field representative for Los Angeles Mayor
Tom Bradley.
During the 1992 riots, in an effort to calm any potential violence,
he dispatched ministers to hotspots throughout the Valley. He was a
mover and a shaker of the community and always looked to unify the
neighborhood.
All the Broadous children including, Marie Broadous Neloms, Rosita
Furaha Broadous, Hillery L. ``Abdullah'' Broadous, Reverend Zedar E.
Broadous, Reverend Pamela J. Broadous, Reverend M. Cecilia Broadous,
and Francine Broadous Oputa are the definition of community service,
and their work is seen every day in the streets of Pacoima and beyond.
When it comes to empowerment, Marie Harris, community activist and
honorary mayor of Pacoima, was born on October 10, 1922, in Houston,
Texas. She attended schools in Pittsburgh and married Alvin Harris soon
after her high school graduation.
She led efforts to develop the first new major shopping center,
called Pacoima Plaza for the Stars.
Marie, a Pacoima resident since 1960, was a devoted mother of three
children and known for organizing local fashion show fundraisers.
Marie was an amazing fashion designer. She spurred the Pacoima
Property Owners Association to produce the Back to Pacoima Expo, a
long-running reunion for expatriate residents of Pacoima at Hansen Dam.
She was a fierce advocate for the San Fernando Valley and was one of
the three original signatories to begin the process for the San
Fernando Valley to secede from the city of Los Angeles. She did this to
spark debate and ensure that San Fernando Valley residents received
their fair share of city services.
She was a true community leader advocating to get streets paved,
sidewalks cleaned, trees trimmed, and much more.
Harris is survived by her three children: Sidney, Rolene, and Alton;
five grandchildren; and many, many great-grandchildren.
In honor of Pacoima's late honorary mayor, Marie Harris, the city of
Los Angeles proclaimed the center of Glenoaks Boulevard and Van Nuys
Boulevard ``Marie Harris Square.''
When it comes to civic duty, Jose DeSosa, former president of the San
Fernando Valley NAACP and active civic rights leader, is the epitome of
civic duty.
In 1988, he was elected as the first statewide president of the
NAACP. He was born in Panama City, Republic of Panama, and later
migrated to New York City. He enlisted in the United States Air Force
and served our country for nearly 10 years.
DeSosa worked for the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company. Soon
after the company merged with AT&T, he and his wife Juanita moved to
Pacoima.
As president of the NAACP, he used his Black and Latino heritage to
build
[[Page H774]]
working relationships between both cultures.
He was a passionate critic of the tactics and procedures of the Los
Angeles Police Department and led the effort to ban the use of the
battering ram and the choke hold by LAPD. He led peaceful efforts to
unite hundreds of community members demanding change.
He was a former board member of Neighborhood Legal Services of Los
Angeles County, and to this day their community room at Pacoima is
named in honor of him.
We have many legendary sports heroes that emanate from our community
of Pacoima, especially at our great San Fernando High School.
The San Fernando High School Tigers football team, during the 1960s
and 1970s, the home of the Mighty Tigers, was the training ground of
future USC Trojans and NFL stars, an A-list of players such as Charles
White, Anthony Davis, Kevin Williams, and Manfred Moore.
Charles White, who recently passed away, was a track and football
star at San Fernando High School. He was a star running back and won
back-to-back city football championships at our high school. He then
went on to USC, where Charles White was an All-American and the 1979
Heisman Trophy winner. He played in the NFL and led the NFL in rushing
yards and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1987.
After his retirement, Charles worked for USC. Despite his struggles
with addiction and mental health throughout his career, he was a true
star.
Unfortunately, we recently lost Charles White on January 11, 2023.
Anthony Davis was another football star. He was also an All-American
in 1974 who played for the USC Trojans. At San Fernando High School, he
was a running back during their city championship run.
He was known by ``Sports Illustrated'' as the ``Notre Dame Killer''
when he infamously led USC to a comeback victory. Notre Dame had a 24-0
lead, but before the end of the first quarter, Anthony Davis scored a
touchdown which kicked off a 55-point comeback. He scored six
touchdowns, ran and caught for 368 total yard performance in one game
versus the Fighting Irish.
Anthony Davis helped lead the Trojans to three Rose Bowl games,
including victories in 1973 and 1975, and two national championships
during his three seasons.
During his Trojan career, Davis won five national championships, two
in football and three in baseball. He played his professional career in
the NFL, the USFL, and the CFL.
Another great star is Kevin Williams, who was also a USC football and
track star and part of the tremendous trio with White and Moore at San
Fernando High School.
Known by his family as ``Little Man'' and nicknamed the ``Bug,'' he
was known for his speed and elusiveness on the field. He played for USC
and was drafted to the NFL.
After his athletic career, he worked as a brakeman for the Santa Fe
trains.
We unfortunately lost him in 1996 in a devastating accident.
{time} 1845
Before Charles, Anthony, and Kevin were there, Manfred Moore was the
running back for the 1967 San Fernando High School city champions. He
was a State wrestling champion, as well. As a USC Trojan, he was part
of the 1972 national championship team that had one of the most
dominant college seasons ever.
These four Mighty Tigers set the bar of athletic excellence for all
of us in the San Fernando Valley. They are all true champions.
Andrae Crouch's musical career began at home. He was a son of a
minister, where he found his love and passion for gospel music. His
father, Reverend Benjamin Crouch, founded the New Christ Memorial
Church.
Andrae bridged the gap between gospel and mainstream music, working
with major stars such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Quincy Jones.
Songs like Michael Jackson's ``Man in the Mirror'' and Madonna's ``Like
a Prayer'' became pop hits because of Andrae's musical genius.
He also received Oscar nominations for musical arrangements for
movies such as ``The Color Purple'' and Disney's ``The Lion King.''
His popularity laid the foundation of R&B influence in gospel music
to this day. His eight Grammys were instrumental in the merging of pop,
contemporary gospel, and soul.
When it comes to educating the children of our community, there is no
one like Leroy Chase. For more than 50 years, the San Fernando Valley
Boys and Girls Club president was the tenacious Leroy Chase, running
one of the oldest not-for-profits in Pacoima.
In 1968, he was hired and ended up expanding the small storefront
into the large facility that it is today.
Leroy provided resources to over 75,000 youth. One of those youth was
me. He gave me my first job.
After school, this was a place where boys and girls could study and
do their homework. It served as a safe space to stay out of trouble. I
would not be here if it wasn't for Leroy Chase.
In honor of Leroy, the city of Los Angeles will be dedicating the
intersection of Glenoaks Boulevard and Pierce Street in his honor, in
his name.
The legacy of the San Fernando Valley Boys and Girls Club carries on
through the work of his daughter, Nicole Chase, who currently serves as
the president and CEO of the San Fernando Valley Boys and Girls Club
and continues the legacy of being a center for kids to learn and play.
This is all done so that kids like me could reach their full
potential, and we are so blessed to have Leroy Chase and his family in
our lives.
I close by thanking the Pacoima Historical Society and their
president, Crystal Jackson, for ensuring that this history, the history
of my community, our community, is being shared with future
generations. The great work and legacy created by these leaders will
always be remembered and always be in our hearts.
I would be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity to take some of
the time afforded me as a Member of the House of Representatives to
comment on the amazing, wonderful work that our President, President
Biden, is doing in his administration.
As I said earlier, I am blessed to be a Member of the Chamber, of the
House of Representatives, to be able to speak on this floor, to be able
to address my fellow Americans about the issues that face us, the
challenges that we have had, and the hope and challenges that we will
tackle in the future.
President Biden's administration is one of the most successful
administrations, accomplishing in just these 2 short years more than
most administrations accomplished in 4 or 8 years. I am excited for the
next 2 years to come.
People say our government is divided, but at the end of the day, I
truly believe in my heart that by working together, by hearing each
other, we will be able to accomplish what we were sent to accomplish
for the people of this great Nation and, more importantly, to make sure
that we restore the confidence that the world has in the reputation of
the United States of America.
Just recently, one of the most devastating earthquakes, which has
taken thousands and thousands of lives, occurred in Turkey and Syria.
Immediately, the Biden administration, along with communities around
the country, rallied together to send help and rescue teams to the
people in need.
That is the United States of America that I have always known. That
is the United States of America that we all can and should be proud of.
That is the United States of America, and we have some work to do to
restore our reputation around the world because not every Presidency is
the same, Mr. Speaker.
Some Presidencies have torn down our image, but I am so proud of the
fact that President Biden and his administration are doing the work
that we all deserve as Americans for our President to do. That is to
restore our position and the faith that people have in what good it is
to know that the United States of America is here, here to help, and
here to be assisting.
More importantly, in any time of need, we are ready to help any
nation that needs our support and our help, especially those nations
who aspire to be a democracy, especially those nations who need us to
be there to make sure that we can help human beings live a dignified
life.
I am here to say, Mr. Speaker, that we have done it time and time
again
[[Page H775]]
for generation after generation to help as a world leader without
compromising the commitment and the dedication that we have to the
people of our great Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
____________________