[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H2174-H2175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING BLACK LEADERS FROM WEST MICHIGAN

  (Ms. SCHOLTEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SCHOLTEN. Mr. Speaker, during Black History Month, we honor 
leaders who shaped our country, and I rise today to recognize 
extraordinary Black leaders from west Michigan, whose impacts continue 
to guide our community.

[[Page H2175]]

  Ingrid Scott-Weekly transformed Grand Rapids by expanding equal 
opportunity in city government and helping build institutions that 
still protect fairness and inclusion today.
  Reuben Smartt, one of the first African Americans to serve in the 
United States Marine Corps, went on to dedicate his life to mentoring 
young people as an educator, coach, and community leader.
  Dr. Faite Mack broke barriers as a founding faculty member at Grand 
Valley State University, shaping generations of educators and extending 
his work globally to ensure children have access to education.
  Roger Wilkins, a civil rights leader and Pulitzer Prize-winning 
journalist, led national conversations on justice and equality at the 
highest levels of government and media.
  Helen Claytor advanced civil rights and opportunity for women and 
families helping establish institutions that continue to promote equity 
in Grand Rapids and beyond.
  These leaders remind us that progress is driven by those willing to 
serve, to teach, and to lead. Their legacy lives on in west Michigan 
and across our great Nation. I am proud to honor these contributions 
during Black History Month.

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