[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22957]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 22957]]

             HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF JET MAGAZINE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. MAJOR R. OWENS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 15, 2001

  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a publication which 
strongly supports the legacy of African American Cultural Identity. For 
too long the living history and cultural identity of the African 
American community has been squelched or denied altogether. Our African 
cultural identity has been diminished by the American political 
realities of the slave trade, segregation, discrimination and racism.
  The historical contributions that Africans have made globally and 
African Americans have made to America have been shrouded by ignorance 
and bigotry. The majesty and the grandeur, of the African American 
cultural experience, can only be told by those who know it. John 
Johnson knows it and through Jet Magazine the Johnson Publishing 
Company, has shown it for more than 50 years.
  Johnson Publishing Company, one of the nation's largest Black-Owned 
businesses, has stood on the vanguard, disseminating the beauty, the 
strength and the pride of the African American community through such 
publications as: the Negro Digest; Ebony Magazine and Jet Magazine to 
name a few. These publications were the only source of information 
about the African American cultural identity for more than twenty 
years.
  Today, Mr. Speaker I rise to celebrate the legacy of African American 
cultural identity, Johnson Publishing Company and Jet Magazine in 
particular. Established in 1951, Jet Magazine has highlighted the 
cultural expressions and achievements of African Americans. When other 
mainstream publications refused to focus on the African American 
community, Johnson's Jet Magazine was there to chronicle our everyday 
lives, capturing our beauty and our cultural, educational, and 
professional achievements. With a circulation of nearly 1 million and a 
pass-along rate of 9.7 readers per copy, the weekly digest of news and 
information is read by more than 9 million people.
  God was having a good day when he created Jet Magazine. Through Jet 
Magazine, African Americans have been able to share their cultural 
identity, values and community spirit with each other and the world. 
``Big Ups'' to Jet Magazine on its 50th Anniversary.

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