[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF ETHEL L. CUFF BLACK

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. GREGORY W. MEEKS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 25, 2026

  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of 
Ethel L. Cuff Black, a trailblazing educator and one of the 22 
visionary founders of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
  Born on October 17, 1890, in Wilmington, Delaware, Mrs. Cuff Black 
was raised with a commitment to excellence and service that guided her 
life. She pursued her studies at Howard University, where she became 
one of the 22 young women who boldly established Delta Sigma Theta 
Sorority, Inc., on January 13, 1913. The sorority was founded on 
principles of scholarship, sisterhood, and service; values that Mrs. 
Cuff Black carried into every facet of her life.
  In one of their first acts of service, Mrs. Cuff Black joined her 
sorority sisters in the historic 1913 March down Pennsylvania Avenue, 
standing at the forefront of the struggle for equality and 
representation. Her courage and vision laid the groundwork for one of 
the Nation's most influential Black women's organization, which 
continues to uplift communities more than a century later.
  After graduating, Mrs. Cuff Black dedicated herself to education, 
serving as a teacher in Missouri, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Later 
in New York, she became the first Black teacher in Richmond Hills, 
Queens. Mrs. Cuff Black joined 10 other dedicated women in chartering 
the Queens Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 
Together, they worked hand in hand with the community to advance 
educational opportunities, promote civic engagement, and uplift 
families across Queens. This act of leadership and service ensured that 
the sorority's mission remained deeply rooted in community partnership 
for decades to come. Since 1952, the Queens Alumnae chapter has awarded 
over $400,000 in scholarship to students in the Queens community.
  Mrs. Cuff Black is most honorably remembered for her unwavering 
devotion to education, community, advancing opportunities for Black 
Americans, and her pioneering spirit in the fight for social justice. 
She is survived by the enduring legacy of her students and the hundreds 
of thousands of Delta women who follow in her footsteps across four 
continents.

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