[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[House]
[Pages 27709-27710]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  TRIBUTE TO REVEREND WILBUR N. DANIEL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a great 
theologian, a great community builder, a tremendous humanitarian and a 
great American, Reverend Wilbur N. Daniel, pastor of the Antioch 
Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago for 42 years. Reverend Daniel will 
be best remembered as a fast start Baptist preacher who had the ability 
to electrify and move crowds in a matter of 2 or 3 minutes. He was a 
tremendous organizer and social activist who served as president of the 
Southside Branch NAACP in Chicago. He was chairman of the board of the 
Antioch Foundation, moderator of the North Woodriver Baptist District 
Association for 40 years, treasurer of the National Baptist Convention 
of America and chairman of the board of directors of the Highland 
Community Bank.
  Reverend Daniel was born in Louisville, Kentucky, where he attended 
school and entered the ministry at age 25. His first pastorate was at 
the Macedonia Baptist Church in Gary, Indiana. It was while there that 
he enrolled at the Fort Wayne Bible Institute and then on to becoming 
one of the most learned theologians in America.
  While a great preacher and spiritual motivator, Dr. Daniel was also a 
master builder and his church was an early leader in the building of 
affordable housing through its Eden's Green Development. He will be 
seriously remembered for helping to rebuild the Englewood Community in 
Chicago. When you drive through it, you will see new homes, senior 
citizen buildings, nursing homes, rehabilitated apartment dwellings, 
all put together by Reverend Wilbur Daniel and his 4,000-member Antioch 
Missionary Baptist Church.
  Please do not think that Dr. Daniel relied upon the spirit alone. He 
was an

[[Page 27710]]

astute politician. He was Republican, Democrat, Independent, making use 
of everybody to build houses and develop communities. A visionary who 
encouraged social activism, civic involvement, union organizing, 
outreach programs for the needy and recreational activities for youth. 
He built a Christian academy and brought more than $25 million of 
Federal housing money into the Englewood Community. Condolences to his 
sons Wilbur Jr., Ricky Eugene and two grandchildren. A dreamer, a man 
of vision, a worker, a leader, a good neighbor, a good friend, and a 
great American, Dr. Wilbur N. Daniel.

                          ____________________