[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18733]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING MAYNARD HOLBROOK JACKSON, JUNIOR, AND EXTENDING CONDOLENCES OF 
               THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON HIS DEATH

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 16, 2003

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, John Lewis, 
for introducing this resolution. I was honored to cosponsor it, because 
I think it is very important that people in this legislative body and 
in this nation know the huge impact Maynard Jackson had on the country 
and on the African American community in particular.
  You could just sense the importance of Maynard Jackson by watching 
the thousands of mourners who waited in lines stretching several blocks 
to honor him. Former Presidents joined everyday citizens in honoring 
the life and service of this great man, who was the first black mayor 
of Atlanta, a major Southern city and a symbol of both the Old South, 
and the New South.
  Mayor Jackson paved the way for African Americans who are interested 
in government and civic affairs and were willing to devote their time 
and effort to public service. He showed what could be achieved with 
intelligence and fairness and hard work. And in doing so he provided 
both hope and opportunity to all Atlantans, white and black, while 
inspiring a whole generation of African American elected officials, 
including me.
  Maynard Jackson served as Mayor of Atlanta from 1974 to 1982 and 
again from 1990 to 1994. His three terms were distinguished by 
diversification and growth in Atlanta's economy. He saw opportunity in 
international trade before the ``world economy'' became a household 
name. He encouraged foreign governments to open new consulates and 
foreign companies to open trade offices, and Atlanta's imports and 
exports increased accordingly.
  The result of Maynard Jackson's policies was record-setting new jobs 
creation, strong bond ratings, and the most successful non-preference, 
non-quota affirmative action and equal opportunity programs in the 
nation.
  Maynard Jackson was also an innovator. He developed a successful 
neighborhood planning system and a city-wide comprehensive development 
plan. He also brokered major construction projects in housing and mass 
transit and instituted reform in city management and organization and 
improved employee incentives--all of which led to increased worker 
productivity.
  Especially noteworthy was Mayor Jackson's leadership in the 
construction of Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, which was 
completed ahead of schedule and under budget.
  As a result, Maynard Jackson's years of Mayoral service are widely 
respected and documented as times of unparalleled economic development, 
internationalism, public-private partnerships, racial harmony, and 
fiscal stability for Atlanta. Because of his leadership, Atlanta 
created more jobs in the 1990s than any other U.S. city--half a million 
since 1993.
  A report in Higher Education in America's Metropolitan Areas 
identified the Atlanta region as a national leader in higher education, 
consistently ranking in the top 10 metro areas in key measures of 
higher education activity. The majority of students in the Atlanta 
region not only are pursuing higher education, they are completing it: 
Atlanta has the sixth highest number of degrees conferred at the 
Bachelor's level and higher, due in large part to the encouragement and 
urging of Mayor Jackson.
  It is certainly fitting that he died on the same day that the U.S. 
Supreme Court upheld affirmative action. He demanded that African-
American firms get their fair share of government contracts, including 
those awarded in the $1 billion expansion of Hartsfield International 
Airport. By the end of his first term, the percentage of city contracts 
going to minority-owned firms had increased from 0.13 percent to 38.6 
percent.
  Today, Atlanta is recognized as one of the nation's most dynamic 
cities, a place where hope is alive and well and not dependent on skin 
pigmentation.
  Maynard Jackson has left his imprint so solidly on American society--
economically, educationally, creatively, and socially--that his service 
and tutelage will long be remembered and celebrated. He was an 
exemplary leader, a dedicated community servant, and a tireless 
advocate for economic and social justice. He literally helped change 
the world. He will be missed, but his spirit will live on in his 
extraordinary legacy.

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