[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E42]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING PETER YARROW

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 16, 2025

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the life of an 
extraordinary man, Peter Yarrow, of the legendary folk trio, Peter, 
Paul and Mary. Peter passed away at home in New York City on January 7, 
2025, at the age of 86. He is survived by his spouse, Mary Beth 
McCarthy Yarrow, children Christopher Yarrow and Bethany Yarrow and his 
beloved granddaughter, Valentina.
  The son of Ukrainian Jewish Immigrants, Peter was born and raised in 
New York City, attended New York's High School of Music and Arts, and 
graduated from Cornell University in 1959. While at Cornell, Peter took 
an American Folk Literature course in which singing and guitar playing 
were prerequisites. Thus began a career that would span the ages. Upon 
graduating, Peter moved to New York City and began a successful run in 
the Greenwich Village folk movement with the purpose of creating 
community through music. Peter, Paul and Mary debuted in 1961, enjoyed 
huge success with six top 10 hits on the Billboard ``Hot 100'' and five 
Grammy Awards. Peter's gift for songwriting produced some of the most 
poignant songs Peter, Paul & Mary have recorded, including ``Puff, the 
Magic Dragon,'' ``Day is Done,'' ``Light One Candle,'' and ``The Great 
Mandala.''
  Peter had a firm and devout commitment to activism and organizing. He 
devoted his time and talents to the Civil Rights Movement which brought 
Peter, Paul and Mary to Washington in 1963, to participate in both the 
historic March on Washington led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 
historic Selma-Montgomery March in 1965. Peter was a founding board 
member of the Newport Folk Festival and used his organizing skills to 
shine light on merging folk performers and songwriters to a wider 
audience. He was a leader in the Peace/Anti-Vietnam war movement, the 
equal rights movement, deeply committed to protecting the environment, 
gender equality, ending homelessness, supporting the hospice care 
movement, public broadcasting and education.
  In 1999, Peter founded the non-profit education and advocacy 
organization, Operation Respect. Operation Respect's classroom based 
``Don't Laugh at Me'' curriculum was created to combat school bullying, 
promote tolerance and provide children with the tools necessary to 
express their feelings constructively, resolve conflict peacefully, 
celebrate diversity and engage with each other cooperatively and 
compassionately. Operation Respect's success has reached over 22,000 US 
schools and expanded globally, including Ukraine, Israel, Jordan, 
Palestine, Hong Kong, Croatia, Canada and Japan with the aim of 
fostering dialogue and understanding around the world. Operation 
Respect has found that schools committed to establishing a respectful, 
safe and compassionate learning environment, experience improvements in 
academic achievement, student attendance and staff retention, at the 
same tune reducing bullying, violence and other behavioral issues.
  It was an honor to call Peter a friend. I'm grateful for his 
kindness, compassion, commitment to peace, promotion of human rights, 
and boundless talent which has been an inspiration for me and will 
continue to inspire many for generations to come.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the remarkable life and 
the visionary work of Peter Yarrow.

                          ____________________