[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11214]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        IN MEMORY OF BILL SCOTT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 26, 1999

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep regret that I inform our 
colleagues of the passing of a remarkable resident of my 20th 
Congressional District in New York.
  Bill Scott, a resident of Rockland County, NY, for over fifty years, 
passed away earlier this week at the age of 72. With his passing, New 
York State has lost one of its distinguished citizens.
  Bill Scott helped found the N.A.A.C.P. chapter in Spring Valley, New 
York, back in 1951--nearly fifty years ago. It is an interesting fact 
that Bill felt compelled to do so because he believed that the existing 
N.A.A.C.P. chapter in Rockland County was not vigilant enough in 
pursuing discrimination and injustice against African Americans.
  Ironically, years later, in the 1960's Bill broke away from the 
N.A.A.C.P. chapter that he had founded because he believe that more 
militant times demanded a more militant response. Accordingly, he 
founded the Rockland chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). 
But, he soon left that organization also, because he believed their 
national leadership had come to espouse Black separatism--a philosophy 
Bill could not abide. Bill devoted his life to equality between the 
races, but at no time did he condone separation of the races which he 
viewed as self-defeating.
  Throughout the fifties and the sixties, Bill organized marches, sit 
ins, and demonstrations to integrate the police forces, the Y.M.C.A., 
and other institutions in Rockland County which, regrettably, were not 
color blind at that time. It is hard for our young people today to 
fully understand how ingrained racism was in our society just a few 
short decades ago. Nor are younger generations aware that by no means 
was racial segregation restricted to the south. I can recall from my 
own experiences as an N.A.A.C.P. member in the 1950's that quite often 
we were considered too ``radical'' for our times, even in New York 
State.
  Thanks to people such as Bill Scott in Rockland, who were courageous 
enough to speak out and to act at a time when it was not popular, we 
are well on the road today to a society where all are truly equal, 
although we still have a long way to go.
  Bill Scott hosted a popular television show on cable, ``Black 
Perspectives,'' which made him a household word in Rockland during the 
last few decades of his life. I was honored to be his guest on several 
broadcasts and, like his viewership, I never ceased to marvel at his 
enthusiasm, his knowledge, and his commitment.
  Bill Scott, a native of New Jersey, moved to Rockland County, NY, 
when he was stationed at Camp Shanks during World War II. In the over 
half century that he called Rockland home, he made a genuine impact 
upon his neighbors and his community. Bill will truly be missed, and we 
extend our sympathy and condolences to his widow Barbara, his three 
sons, two daughters, and ten grandchildren, and to his family, friends, 
loved ones and admirers who appreciated the gifts of this truly caring 
leader.

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