[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 50 (Thursday, March 21, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E274-E275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE LATE MS. DORIE ANN LADNER

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 21, 2024

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and 
remember a remarkable activist, Ms. Dorie Ladner, a pivotal figure in 
the Civil Rights Movement.

[[Page E275]]

  Ms. Dorie Ann Ladner, born on June 28, 1942, in Hattiesburg, MS, 
demonstrated remarkable courage from an early age. She was deeply 
involved in civil rights in Mississippi, joining the Student Nonviolent 
Coordinating Committee (SNCC) as a teenager. Ladner left college three 
times to organize voter registration campaigns for several counties and 
towns, including Canton, Hinds County, Indianola, Liberty, McComb, and 
Natchez, MS, and promote integration.
  Her journey took a turn in 1961 when she was expelled from Jackson 
State University for supporting the Tougaloo Nine. This setback only 
fueled her determination, leading to her enrollment into Tougaloo 
College. She studied history and political science there and was 
inducted into the Gamma Psi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
  Ladner's legacy is a testament to her unwavering commitment. Her 
accomplishments were numerous, ranging from being the first female 
employee of the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) Jackson 
office to planning the Mississippi Freedom Summer and helping to 
coordinate the 1963 March on Washington. As a civil rights crusader, 
her commitment to justice was significant. Let us honor her legacy and 
ensure it continues to inspire us all.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the late 
Ms. Dorie Ann Ladner for her dedication to civil rights and racial 
equity.

                          ____________________