[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14076]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         SALUTE TO VERNA SMALL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JERROLD NADLER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 19, 2001

  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to laud the incredible and 
enduring community activism of Verna Small. Verna has been active in 
the Greenwich Village community of New York City for over half a 
century, however she got her start right here in Washington, D.C. A 
1937 graduate of George Washington University, Verna soon began working 
for the United States Department of Labor, which took her on 
assignments all across this nation. Thankfully for us New Yorkers she 
landed in the heart of New York City, Greenwich Village, and 
immediately made it her home.
  During her early years in the nation's Capital, Verna grew to love 
the Potomac River and other waterways, a love that would signal a 
passion that would last a lifetime. In New York, Verna recognized the 
beauty and splendor of the Hudson River and its vital relationship to 
Greenwich Village. She decided to make it part of her life's work to 
preserve this relationship and save the history of this neighborhood 
from disappearing at the hands of developers. Throughout the 1960's 
Verna, along with her comrade in arms Ruth Wittenberg, spearheaded an 
epic movement that culminated in the astounding creation of the New 
York City Landmarks Law in 1965 and the designation of the Greenwich 
Village Historic District in 1969, which remains today the city's 
largest historic district. Throughout this time Verna founded 
organizations that stand today to fight for the preservation of our 
city's neighborhoods, including the Association of Village Homeowners, 
the Historic Districts Council, the Greenwich Village Society for 
Historic Preservation, and the Federation to Preserve the Greenwich 
Village Waterfront & Great Port, Inc.
  In 1964 Verna became a member of Manhattan Community Board 2. During 
her nearly forty-year tenure on the Community Board, she served as 
Chair of the Landmarks Committee for ten of those years. In 1994 she 
received the Elliot Willinsky Award from New York City's Landmarks 
Preservation Commission. Even today, Verna is fighting hard to preserve 
the history of the Village during the creation of the Hudson River 
Park.
  Amidst all of her community activism, Verna led a full life as a 
wife, a mother, editor and author. She is truly a dynamic woman who has 
had a profound impact on those she has touched.
  Mr. Speaker, I salute Verna Small and all of her accomplishments. I 
am happy to know her and am in constant awe of her passion and 
fortitude. It is my hope that she will continue to fight for what she 
believes in for a long time to come.

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