[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18684]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                          JUDGE RONALD DAVIES

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, the legislation we will vote on after 
lunch contains a provision that will name a Federal courthouse in Grand 
Forks, ND. A Federal building in Grand Forks, ND, will be named the 
Judge Ronald N. Davies Federal Building. I want to describe to my 
colleagues something about Judge Ronald Davies.
  Some of my colleagues may have had the opportunity to visit the 
Norman Rockwell exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in downtown 
Washington, DC. Among the many examples of Americana in the Gallery is 
a famous painting of a little African American girl, hair in pigtails, 
head held high, being escorted into a school by U.S. marshals. It was 
the result of a ruling by an unassuming Federal judge, a son of North 
Dakota, that allowed this Nation to take one large step forward in 
expanding America's dream for all Americans.
  Forty-three years ago this month, on September 7, 1957, a Federal 
judge from North Dakota was asked to go to Arkansas to sit as a Federal 
judge and render a decision on a case involving civil rights. 
Surrounded by security guards because of threats on his life, Judge 
Ronald Davies carefully weighed the facts and the law and then issued 
an order that the New York Times later said was a landmark decision in 
civil rights, ordering the integration of the Little Rock public 
schools.
  Most people will not know the name of Ron Davies, but Judge Davies is 
one of North Dakota's proudest sons. He was made a Federal judge by the 
appointment of President Eisenhower in 1955. While on temporary 
assignment in Arkansas, he issued the decision that would become one of 
the landmark decisions on the issue of civil rights. He required the 
integration of the schools in Little Rock.
  Judge Davies was not a tall man. In fact, he was just over 5 feet--
about 5 foot 1, 5 foot 2--but he will certainly be remembered as a 
giant in the history of civil rights and integration. Despite threats 
on his life and National Guardsmen guarding the doors, this man sat in 
a courthouse and rendered the pivotal decision that will echo 
throughout this Nation's history. He replied, ``I was only doing my 
job,'' when asked about that decision. He was unassuming and unwilling 
to be in the national spotlight. In fact one news program called him an 
``obscure judge.'' He agreed. He said, ``We judges are obscure and 
should be.''
  Back then, he was also called ``the stranger in Little Rock.'' But he 
was no stranger to justice and no stranger to decency and no stranger 
to common sense. Men such as Judge Davies should be remembered. I think 
it is appropriate that we recognize this Federal judge with the fiery 
spirit, a man with an unerring sense of duty who went to Little Rock in 
a very difficult circumstance and did his job.
  When schoolchildren and citizens and visitors pass through the door 
of the Federal building in Grand Forks, ND, they will be reminded of 
the courage Judge Davies showed America as he sat and did his job in 
those difficult times in Little Rock. It was a turning point in our 
Nation's history.
  I can think of no better way to celebrate the life of Judge Davies, 
and also the important achievements his decision 43 years ago this 
month have rendered this country, than to put his name on the Federal 
building in Grand Forks, ND. So when this legislation becomes law later 
this year, that Federal building will be named the ``Ronald N. Davies 
Federal Building and United States Courthouse.''

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