[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 94 (Wednesday, June 3, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H3780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING ST. STEPHEN BAPTIST CHURCH

  (Mr. McGarvey of Kentucky was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor St. Stephen Baptist 
Church of Louisville, Kentucky. This year St. Stephen will be 
celebrating its 100th anniversary as a congregation.
  Mr. Speaker, 100 years is an incredible milestone for any person or 
organization, but St. Stephen's century of service in Kentucky is one 
that deserves special recognition.
  The Book of Matthew tells us that a church can exist wherever two or 
three gather in His name. Well, 100 years ago, in 1926, it wasn't much 
more than that, as 14 faithful believers gathered in a borrowed 
basement and started what has now become the largest Black church in 
the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
  It is a wonderful church. The music is fantastic. The congregation is 
warm and welcoming. I have recently heard another pastor say that if 
there is a Mount Rushmore of preachers, Dr. Kevin W. Cosby is on it. 
Amen.
  I want my colleagues here to know that St. Stephen has never just 
been a place to gather and worship. As Dr. Cosby wrote in his book 
``Getting to the Promised Land,'' the Black church cannot exist solely 
as a place where the community goes to experience a Sunday respite from 
the pressing burden of our people's history and present. As the 
preeminent institution for ADOS, Black churches in America must fill 
their sanctuaries with exhortations to carry out the sort of justice 
work that will relieve us of that burden.
  Not only does it have a proud legacy of service and activism, St. 
Stephen is an undeniable bedrock of Black education in our Commonwealth 
and in our country.
  Yes, the church offers educational programming, and at several points 
throughout its history, it has chosen to build an educational building 
or a family life center instead of merely expanding the size of its 
worship space. But nowhere is the church's commitment to education more 
evident than its relationship with Simmons University.
  Going back to its beginnings, St. Stephen's first pastor, Reverend 
B.J. Miller, who led the church for 44 years, was a young Simmons 
University student. Founded in 1879 by formerly enslaved Baptists, 
Simmons quickly became a national leader and was only one of two HBCUs 
in the country with both a medical school and a law school, educating 
Black lawyers, doctors, teachers, and ministers who went on to lead the 
civil rights movement just decades later. Reverend Miller himself 
helped integrate the Southern Seminary and played a vital role in the 
push for equal rights in Louisville.

  Now, here is where things get really interesting. In 1930, the Great 
Depression, combined with discriminatory policies, forced Simmons to 
foreclose on its campus. A cornerstone of Black education and a premier 
institution of higher learning was seemingly gone forever.
  I think there are lots of ways to have faith, but one of the ways to 
have faith is to understand that God has a redemptive plan for us and 
our world. We don't get to know the details. It might not always be 
easy. But as the Proverbs tell us, if you trust in the Lord with all 
your heart, he will make the path straight.
  Reverend Miller, who was that Simmons University student, was 
eventually succeeded by his grandson, Dr. Kevin W. Cosby, who was just 
20 years old when he took over the church in 1979. Yes, together, the 
two of them have shepherded this congregation for 91 of its 100 years.
  When Dr. Cosby took over, it was already an amazing church. He took 
it to new heights. In 1997, he made a very brave decision, maybe even a 
divine decision, to resurrect the proud tradition of education and 
purchase the former campus of Simmons College, a decision solely 
responsible for the rebirth, restoration, and revitalization of the 
premier Black college that is once again Simmons College of Kentucky.
  When Simmons regained accreditation, it was recognized as the 
Nation's 107th HBCU in 2015, the last HBCU in America. It was the most 
remarkable comeback in the history of higher education. Next year, the 
comeback continues as Simmons College once again becomes Simmons 
University.
  None of this success has been accidental or inevitable. It is because 
of a faithful congregation, a family dedicated to service, and a good 
and gracious God. What an amazing story. May God continue to bless this 
church, this college, and this community.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues here to join me in congratulating 
St. Stephen today and wishing them a second century that is even better 
than the first.

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