[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 133 (Friday, August 1, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





   CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF SERVICE WITH THE DELTA BURIAL CORPORATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 1, 2025

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
the work of Delta Burial Corporation as they celebrate 100 years of 
service.
  Delta Burial Corporation has a long history of serving residents of 
the Mississippi Delta and beyond, regardless of status or income. In 
1925, Delta Burial Corporation was founded by Silas Kelly during a time 
when several hundred Black people were being lynched across the Delta. 
The business provided services throughout the Jim Crow era, the AIDS 
epidemic, floods, and even wars, giving families the opportunity to 
bury their loved ones without the crushing weight of financial 
hardship. Kelly and his Black colleagues also provided sanctuary for 
civil rights organizers. They hosted burial society galas and organized 
countless celebrations of life.
  Today, Delta Burial Corporation continues to offer funeral services 
at prices well below the state average. This is critical, as many 
counties in the Mississippi Delta face poverty rates between 30 and 40 
percent, with some reaching as high as 68 percent, particularly among 
Black families. As our Nation's economy continues to place added strain 
on poor and working families, we need the work of Delta Burial 
Corporation now more than ever.
  On behalf of Mississippi's Second Congressional District, I thank and 
congratulate Delta Burial Corporation on 100 years of service.

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