[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 1926-1935]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE LATE OSSIE DAVIS

  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 69) honoring the life and accomplishments of 
the late Ossie Davis.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H. Res. 69

       Whereas the late Ossie Davis, actor and civil rights 
     leader, was born Raiford Chatman Davis, the oldest of five 
     children born to Laura Cooper and Kince Davis, on December 
     18, 1917, in Cogdell, Georgia;
       Whereas Ossie Davis graduated in the top 5 percent of his 
     high school class, received a National Youth Administration 
     scholarship, and walked from Waycross, Georgia, to 
     Washington, D.C., to attend Howard University, where he 
     studied with Alain Leroy Locke, the first black Rhodes 
     Scholar;
       Whereas Ossie Davis began his career as a writer and an 
     actor with the Rose McClendon Players in Harlem in 1939;
       Whereas during World War II Ossie Davis served in the Army 
     in an African-American medical unit, including service as an 
     Army surgical technician in Libya, where he worked on 
     stabilizing some of the 700,000 soldiers wounded in that war 
     for transport back to State-side hospitals;
       Whereas Ossie Davis made his Broadway debut in 1946 in Jeb, 
     where he met his wife, actress Ruby Dee, who he married in 
     1948;
       Whereas Ossie Davis went on to perform in many Broadway 
     productions, including Anna Lucasta, The Wisteria Trees, 
     Green Pastures, Jamaica, Ballad for Bimshire, A Raisin in the 
     Sun, The Zulu and the Zayda, and I'm Not Rappaport.
       Whereas in 1961, he wrote and starred in the critically 
     acclaimed Purlie Victorious;

[[Page 1927]]

       Whereas Ossie Davis' first movie role was in No Way Out in 
     1950, followed by appearances in The Cardinal in 1963, The 
     Hill in 1965, and The Scalphunters in 1968;
       Whereas Ossie Davis made his feature debut as a writer/
     director with Cotton Comes to Harlem in 1970 and later 
     directed Kongi's Harvest in 1971, Black Girl in 1972, 
     Gordon's War in 1973, and Countdown at Kusini in 1976;
       Whereas Ossie Davis held numerous leading and supporting 
     television and motion picture roles throughout his 
     distinguished career;
       Whereas Ossie Davis was a leading activist in the civil 
     rights era of the 1960s when he joined Dr. Martin Luther 
     King, Jr. in the crusade for jobs and freedom and to help 
     raise money for the Freedom Riders;
       Whereas Ossie and Ruby Dee Davis, having protested the 
     injustices of the McCarthy Era House Committee on Un-American 
     Activities in the 1950s, were blacklisted from Hollywood;
       Whereas Ossie and Ruby Dee Davis raised their voices for 
     numerous causes, including support for the United Negro 
     College Fund, vocal opposition to the Vietnam War, and 
     participation in the August 28, 1963, March on Washington, 
     D.C., at which the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his 
     ``I Have a Dream'' speech.
       Whereas Ossie Davis served for 12 years as master of 
     ceremonies at the annual National Memorial Day Concerts on 
     the grounds of the United States Capitol and was an advocate 
     on behalf of the Nation's veterans;
       Whereas Ossie Davis eulogized both Dr. Martin Luther King, 
     Jr., and Malcolm X at their funerals;
       Whereas Ossie Davis was inducted into the Theater Hall of 
     Fame in 1994 and received innumerable honors and citations 
     throughout his life, including the Hall of Fame Award for 
     Outstanding Artistic Achievement in 1989, the United States 
     National Medal for the Arts in 1995, the New York Urban 
     League Frederick Douglass Award, NAACP Image Award, and the 
     Screen Actor's Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001;
       Whereas Ossie Davis and his wife, Ruby Dee, are the parents 
     of three children and have recently published their joint 
     autobiography, With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together; 
     and
       Whereas Davis enjoyed a long and luminous career in 
     entertainment along with his wife before he died in Miami, 
     Florida, at the age of 87 on Friday, February 4, 2005, where 
     he was making a movie called ``Retirement'': Now, therefore 
     be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the extraordinary contributions to the 
     Nation of the late Ossie Davis for his service to the Nation 
     in the military, as a civil rights leader, and as an actor;
       (2) honors him as a great American and pioneer in the 
     annals of American history; and
       (3) expresses its deepest condolences upon his death to his 
     wife Ruby Dee Davis, his other family members, and his 
     friends.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland).


                             General Leave

  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, America was dealt an awful setback over the weekend in 
Miami, Florida. The distinguished actor, director, producer and 
advocate Ossie Davis passed away at the age of 87. He died doing what 
he loved most: he was shooting a movie.
  Mr. Speaker, Ossie Davis stood out both in the fields of theater and 
human justice. We have enjoyed all of Davis's regal performances in 
recent movies like ``Grumpy Old Men,'' ``The Client,'' ``Do the Right 
Thing,'' and ``Jungle Fever,'' and in television programs like 
``Evening Shade.''
  Mr. Speaker, Ossie Davis was also a powerful social advocate. He was 
a tireless worker on behalf of the civil rights, and particularly 
voting rights, for all Americans.
  It is remarkable to note that Ossie Davis was also half of one of the 
most revered couples of American stage and screen. Mr. Davis's wife, 
Ruby Dee Davis, appeared in more than 20 films and scores of theater 
productions herself. In December, the Kennedy Center here in Washington 
honored both Ossie and Dee Davis as part of the 27th Kennedy Center 
Honors for their extraordinary contributions to the arts. The two were 
married for 57 years. Ossie Davis is survived by his wife.
  If my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Bishop), would indulge me, I would wish to offer the most sincere 
condolences of all Members of the House to Ruby Dee and the Davis 
family during these heartrending days.
  Mr. Speaker, the president of the Screen Actors Guild, Melissa 
Gilbert, made this fitting statement last week following the death of 
Mr. Davis, who was a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award 
recipient: ``Along with his remarkable wife, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis's 
impact on America can be seen not only in his rich body of creative 
works, but equally so as a passionate advocate for social justice and 
human dignity.''
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for proposing this 
resolution to the House. I am proud to be a cosponsor of House 
Resolution 69 that honors the life of Ossie Davis. I urge adoption of 
this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 6 
minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), the originator of 
this legislation.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me this time. First, I would like to thank the gentlewoman 
from California (Leader Pelosi) and the gentleman from Texas (Leader 
DeLay) and the members of the Committee on Government Reform; the 
gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Tom Davis), the gentleman from 
California (Ranking Member Waxman), my good friend, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis), as well as their staffs, for helping to move this 
important resolution, H. Res. 69, to the floor as quickly as they did. 
Let me also thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), who 
represents Georgia's first district which includes the town of Cogdell, 
Georgia, the birth place of Ossie Davis and, Waycross, Georgia, where 
Mr. Davis grew up, for his cosponsorship and for his efforts to bring 
this resolution to the floor in short order. Also, I thank my 
colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland), for his 
efforts and his activity in helping to honor this great Georgian.

                              {time}  1615

  We are here today to honor a great American, a veteran, a civil 
rights leader, a social justice activist, and a tremendous talent, Mr. 
Ossie Davis. We lost him this past Friday, February 4, at the age of 
87.
  Ossie once said, ``Struggle is strengthening. Battling with evil 
gives us the power to battle evil even more.'' Empowered and inspired 
by his own struggle, Ossie fought for what was right. He fought with 
his voice, with his example, with his art.
  Above all, Ossie Davis was an artist. The eldest of five children, 
Ossie Davis grew up with the gruesome realities of lynchings and the Ku 
Klux Klan, yet he was inspired by Shakespeare. At the age of 18 with 
nothing more than a $10 bill and the dream of becoming a playwright, 
Ossie Davis hitchhiked from rural Georgia to Washington, D.C., where he 
studied at Howard University. He left school 3 years later only to live 
his dream of becoming a writer and an actor with the Rose McClendon 
Players in Harlem in 1939.
  His acting career was interrupted in World War II when the Army sent 
him to Liberia, where he served at the Army's first black station 
hospital before being transferred to Special Services to write and 
produce stage shows for the troops.
  He returned to the States committed to the power of art and its 
capacity to make viewers more human, to teach them to live.
  He was a trailblazer for African Americans on stage. He debuted on 
Broadway in 1946 in ``Jeb,'' and while the show ran for only 9 days, it 
was during that production that he met his wife, actress Ruby Dee. I 
would be negligent if I did not recognize and highlight the importance 
of this event as it

[[Page 1928]]

inspired the marriage of one of the most revered and important couples 
ever to appear on stage and screen.
  Ossie appeared in dozens of TV programs and more than 30 films, 
beginning with the 1950's ``No Way Out,'' with Dee and Sidney Poitier, 
and culminating with last year's ``She Hate Me.'' As a playwright, he 
was most famous for the 1961's controversial send-up of racial 
stereotypes, ``Purlie Victorious,'' a production which would inspire 
his relationship with Malcolm X.
  Believing that art and activism can go hand-in-hand, Ossie Davis 
never shied away from roles that took on the status quo. Rather, he 
sought them out on stage and in life.
  When singer-actor Paul Robeson was targeted by the anti-Communist 
witch-hunts of the 1950s, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee were steadfast in 
their support even as they were blacklisted themselves. They were 
brave.
  They were at the forefront of the 1963 March on Washington, and when 
their friend Malcolm X was assassinated, Davis delivered a moving 
eulogy for the controversial leader, whom he praised as ``our own black 
shining prince'' and ``our living black manhood,'' words that at the 
time took courage to deliver.
  Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee raised their voices for numerous causes, 
including support for the United Negro College Fund and vocal 
opposition to the war in Vietnam. But above all, Ossie Davis was an 
artist, his roles ultimately too numerous to count, yet all were 
memorable; and we take comfort that he left this world doing what he 
loved.
  As Spike Lee said, ``For an actor, if you've got to go, that's the 
way to go out, still working, still ready to go.''
  I know that my colleagues will now join me in recognizing the 
tremendous achievements and body of work that Ossie Davis has left as 
his legacy. Our sincerest condolences go out his family and all who 
knew and loved him.
  But this is why we today in the United States House of 
Representatives join in consideration of H. Res. 69, which recognizes 
the extraordinary contributions to the Nation of the late Ossie Davis, 
for his service to the Nation in the military, as a civil rights leader 
and as an actor, and honors him as a great American and pioneer in the 
annals of American history, and expresses its deepest condolences upon 
his death to his wife, Ruby Dee Davis, his other family members and all 
of his friends and fans across the world.
  Thank you, Ossie. We will miss you.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Cunningham).
  Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Members on both 
sides of the aisle. Ossie Davis was more than just an actor. All of us 
benefited from Ossie Davis as more than just an actor.
  I once heard him say that in every role that he played it was 
important to serve as a positive role model, and I think he did that. 
He held high standards. His family should be proud. He went about his 
work of activism very quietly, but yet he was very, very effective 
because when you do that, most people listen. And I think he was 
effective in more ways than as someone who stood up and beat on his 
chest. He served at a positive role model.
  I want to thank Ossie Davis for his role in supporting this country 
and for being a role model.
  Earlier today I wanted to also speak on the Tuskegee Airmen because 
they also served as a role model. I have been honored by being with the 
Tuskegee Airmen on several occasions. They fought for their country. 
They never lost a single bomber that they escorted, and they served 
this country proudly and also served as positive role models. Many of 
those role models are still alive today.
  So I would like to thank again Members on both sides of the aisle. 
Let us honor Ossie Davis for the man that he was, for the activist that 
he was, for the actor that he was, and the father that he was.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).
  Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, what a sad occasion. We come to 
pay a great tribute to a great American. And I want to join with my 
colleagues who are all here in recognition of this.
  Ossie Davis personified all that is good and what is right about 
America. Coming out of the backwoods of Georgia, Cogell, Georgia, he 
soon became recognized as a renaissance man, to do so many things so 
well, actor, playwright, writer, civil rights leader, humanitarian, all 
of these things.
  I happened to know and got to know him through his work in the 
Alliance Theater in Atlanta and on the trips he made down to Florida 
A&M University. And on so many occasions when he spoke, everybody 
listened. And one of the things he enjoyed most was a poem that I think 
best personifies Ossie Davis. And he would use this poem at the end of 
everything that he would say.
  He would say, ``Well, son, I'll tell you, you know, life for me ain't 
been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it and splinters and boards 
torn up, no carpet on the floor, bare. But all the while I's been 
aclimbing on and reaching landings and turning corners and sometimes 
going in the dark where there ain't been no light. So, boy, don't you 
stop. Don't you sit down on the steps because you find it's kinda hard. 
Don't you fall now. For I's still climbing. I's still going on, honey. 
You see, life for me ain't been no crystal stair.''
  Life was no crystal stair to Ossie Davis. And, you know, the Lord 
works in strange and mysterious ways; this is Black History Month, and 
He chose this month to bring Ossie Davis home.
  We salute you, our shining black prince.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this 
moment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. Barrow).
  Mr. BARROW. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to have the opportunity to 
pay my respects to a fellow native Georgian, especially a man like 
Ossie Davis.
  On the stage and on the screen or in the public spotlight, Ossie 
Davis used his art and his talent to open America's eyes, exposing the 
inequality and injustice of racial segregation, fighting the witch-
hunts of the 1950s, and providing a voice of strength and honor for 
those Americans struggling just to gain their basic freedoms.
  Those of us who grew up during the turbulent times of the 1950s and 
1960s will remember the challenges our country faced, and we will never 
forget those individuals who led our country through those years.
  Ossie Davis was an activist and an artist, but he was also a leader 
whose life we should celebrate. Without question, Ossie and his wife of 
56 years, Ruby Dee, are role models for all generations to remember.
  I urge all my colleagues to pay our respects and extend our 
condolences to Ruby Dee and the entire Davis family by supporting H. 
Res. 69.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey).
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Ossie Davis, a 
civil rights advocate, a celebrated actor, dedicated family man, 
upstanding resident of Westchester County, and my dear friend. I feel 
very fortunate to have known Ossie and to have represented him and his 
wife, Ruby Dee, for the last 16 years.
  Ossie Davis will be remembered by millions of Americans as an 
outstanding actor. From his very first movie role in the 1950s ``No Way 
Out'' to roles in such classics as ``Raisin In The Sun,'' ``Roots: The 
Next Generation,'' ``Miss Evers' Boys,'' Ossie's accomplishments as an 
actor were truly amazing. He well deserved the many honors and awards 
he received, most recently as a Kennedy Center Honoree along with his 
wife, Ruby Dee.
  But Ossie's legacy goes well beyond all that. His advocacy for civil 
rights is legendary. At a time when such activism would cost an actor 
his career, he refused to be silent in the face of injustice and he 
used his celebrity to draw attention to the plight of African 
Americans. From his eulogy at the funeral for Dr. Martin Luther King, 
Jr.,

[[Page 1929]]

to his memorable voice-overs for the United Negro College Fund, 
uttering the now-famous words, ``A mind is a terrible thing to waste,'' 
Ossie continued throughout his life to fight for civil rights and he 
became one of the towering figures in that struggle.
  I have so much admiration for all that Ossie Davis did for my 
community, for Westchester County and the Nation. I am proud to have 
represented him in the Congress.
  I join my constituents, all his friends, his fans and the world in 
mourning his passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ruby and his 
entire family. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this 
resolution to honor the legacy of Ossie Davis.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois 
(Mr. Davis) for his leadership and for yielding me time and also to the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) for this resolution.
  It is with truly a deep sense of sadness and sorrow that I come to 
the floor today to say a few words about a truly great American. Ossie 
Davis also is a true American patriot. He was called to serve in 
Liberia during World War II. He later transferred to the Special 
Services where he wrote and produced stage shows for our troops.
  Ossie was a trailblazer whose courage extended far beyond the stage 
and screen into the civil rights movement and the fight against racial 
discrimination. He truly was a man for all seasons.

                              {time}  1630

  Ossie always spoke truth to power. During Senator McCarthy's anti-
Communist witch hunts of the 1960s, Ossie Davis sued for voting rights 
and spoke out in support of the singer and actor, a great hero, Paul 
Robeson, though it resulted, of course, in him getting blacklisted.
  Ossie not only was at the forefront of the march on Washington in 
1963, but he courageously delivered a moving and memorable eulogy at 
the funeral of Malcolm X.
  I have known Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee for many years and love them 
very much and will cherish many, many memories of this great and humble 
man. They were personal friends and supporters of my predecessor, 
Congressman Ron Dellums, who loved them very much.
  I must thank Ossie Davis for his phone calls during very 
controversial and challenging moments for me personally after casting 
difficult votes. I will always remember and cherish his wisdom, his 
concern and his support; and I am deeply grateful for his words of 
encouragement.
  My condolences go out to his beautiful and intelligent and brilliant 
wife, his life companion, Ruby Dee, and his entire family. The world 
has lost a great man of distinction who will be sorely missed.
  May his soul rest in peace.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 2 
minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), another 
contemporary and friend and colleague of Ossie Davis.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Davis) for yielding this time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, it is very difficult for me to accept the fact that 
Ossie Davis has passed. I am deeply saddened by his departure, and I 
will truly miss him. I loved Ossie Davis and I love Ruby Dee, his wife 
of over 50 years. They are my friends, and whenever I had the 
opportunity to be with them, I chose to spend my time that way.
  His death is an incalculable loss to the world of arts and 
entertainment, but more importantly, to the legions who for more than 
60 years were inspired by his intense commitment to social justice and 
improving life for African Americans.
  Ossie and Ruby were pioneers who opened many a door previously shut 
tight to African American artists and planted the seed for the success 
that artists of color enjoy today. A towering figure as a playwright, 
screenwriter, director and producer and actor, Ossie Davis's career 
spans more than half a century, and his enormous body of work includes 
award-winning performances on stage, television, and more than 50 
motion pictures.
  Many times he put his career on the line and took the heat for 
supporting our campaigns and events. He and Ruby sued in Federal court 
for black voting rights and risked their careers revisiting 
McCarthyism. Yet because Ossie was a man of integrity and conscious, 
the labels did not stick and attempts to discredit him all failed.
  In 1982, Ossie Davis joined the Congressional Black Caucus and other 
groups from the black leadership community to develop ``the Plan,'' 
which still guides us today in the work that we must do in order to 
reach racial and economic equality.
  At the time, Ossie said when he was developing the plan, ``Give us a 
plan of action, a 10 black commandments, simple, strong, that we can 
carry in our hearts and in our memories no matter where we are and 
reach out and touch and feel the reassurance that there is behind 
everything we do; a simple, moral, intelligent plan that must be 
fulfilled in the course of time, even if all of our leaders, one by 
one, fall in battle.''
  I am going to miss him.
  Mr. Speaker, these are wise words from a truly remarkable man.
  I never thought of Ossie as 87 years old, Mr. Speaker. The fact that 
young artists continued to seek his advice and counsel until his final 
days is proof that he remained young in spirit. I will dearly miss my 
friend Ossie Davis. My thoughts and prayers are with Ruby Dee and his 
family.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 2 
minutes to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. McKinney).
  Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, I had the honor of knowing Ossie Davis. I 
met him during my 2-year hiatus from Congress, and after learning of my 
story, he joined the thousands of Americans who, too, were outraged at 
my treatment by the dominant political personalities of the day and the 
media. He and his wife were committed to my return to Congress and 
acted on that commitment. The Dee-Davis family mourns but all of 
America mourns, too.
  Ossie Davis is of particular note because he utilized the platform of 
an arts icon as a part of his struggle against injustice in this 
country.
  Ossie Davis could have led a comfortable life. Ossie Davis could have 
led a quiet life, but Ossie Davis chose to stand and stand again when 
doing so invited discomfort and controversy.
  I was honored to have had the opportunity to meet him personally. My 
condolences go out to his family and admirers, and I am pleased to make 
this statement from the floor of the United States House of 
Representatives for all America and for history to know the stalwart 
warrior legacy left to us by the late great Ossie Davis.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time 
I have left.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The gentleman from Illinois 
(Mr. Davis) has 3\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, could I indulge my colleague to 
yield to us maybe 6 minutes?
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Yes, I yield.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 2 
minutes to the gentlewoman from Detroit, Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick).
  Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me 2 minutes.
  I, too, want to add my appreciation for the soul of Mr. Ossie Davis: 
courageous, king, gentleman, warrior, friend. We honor him today and 
his memory, for when he walked in a room, we knew that the strength of 
African American men was being represented wherever he went.
  When he spoke, when he gave his time, when he reached out to all of 
us to let us know that we could be whatever it is that we wanted to be 
and with God in us, as he was in Mr. Davis, we knew that we would 
overcome.
  To Ruby Dee and her family for over 50 years, thank you for sharing 
him with us. Mr. Ossie Davis, he lives today and he will always live 
because he is an example to all of us how we should live with dignity 
and pride, face challenges head on, and speak the truth.

[[Page 1930]]

  Thank you, Mr. Davis, and may you rest in peace.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 2 
minutes to the energetic gentlewoman from Houston, Texas (Ms. Jackson-
Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and 
colleague for his leadership in managing this very special tribute that 
a very distinguished Member of Congress, the gentleman from Georgia 
(Mr. Bishop), has allowed us to be able to join him on. I thank the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) for letting us acknowledge to the 
world our appreciation and respect for Ossie Davis and for Ruby Dee.
  Ossie Davis belonged to the world, and he belonged to those of us in 
America, regal, tall, forthright and honest and certainly an enormous 
story teller. I understand now that he is a son of Georgia, the red 
soil of Georgia; but in fact, he was a hero of America.
  Thank you, Ruby Dee, for sharing him. Thank you for the exemplary 
commitment that two people showed to the world of 50-plus years and how 
pleased we were that we were able to give in 2004 to Ossie Davis and 
Ruby Dee the Kennedy Center Honors.
  I stand here today, Mr. Speaker, not so much to chronicle all of the 
attributes and contributions that Ossie Davis made. When he was willing 
to stand tall in the midst of the civil rights era, when he could use 
his talents simply to enhance himself, he decided to use that eloquent 
voice to fight for justice and equality and stand alongside of A. 
Philip Randolph, to stand alongside of Martin King, to stand alongside 
those who could not speak for themselves.
  Growing up in nearby Waycross and Valdosta and being born in Cogdell, 
Georgia, in 1917, one would think that he would succumb to being just a 
rural country boy; but he took those beautiful and wonderful roots and 
made them the strength of America and the strength of himself.
  I will just simply say, may he rest in peace. God bless him and God 
bless Ruby Dee and his family.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to recognize the 
extraordinary contributions of the late Ossie Davis for his service to 
the Nation in the military, as a civil rights leader, and as an actor. 
I would like to express my deepest condolences upon his death to his 
wife Ruby Dee Davis, his other family members, and his friends.
  Ossie Davis, the actor distinguished for roles dealing with racial 
injustice on stage, screen and in real life, died last week at the age 
of 87.
  He was the longtime husband and partner of actress Ruby Dee. Ossie 
Davis wrote, acted, directed and produced for the theater and 
Hollywood, and was a central figure among black performers of the last 
five decades. He and Dee celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 
1998 with the publication of a dual autobiography, ``In This Life 
Together.''
  In 2004, Ossie Davis and his wife Ruby Dee were among the artists 
selected to receive the Kennedy Center Honors.
  When not on stage or on camera, Davis and Dee were deeply involved in 
civil rights issues and efforts to promote the cause of blacks in the 
entertainment industry. They nearly ran afoul of the anti-Communist 
witch-hunts of the early 1950s, but were never openly accused of any 
wrongdoing.
  Ossie Davis was the oldest of five children of a self-taught railroad 
builder and herb doctor, was born in tiny Cogdell, GA, in 1917 and grew 
up in nearby Waycross and Valdosta. He left home in 1935, hitchhiking 
to Washington to enter Howard University, where he studied drama, 
intending to be a playwright.
  His career as an actor began in 1939 with the Rose McClendon Players 
in Harlem, then the center of black culture in America. There, the 
young Ossie Davis met or mingled with some of the most influential 
figures of the time, including the preacher Father Divine, W.E.B. 
DuBois, A. Philip Randolph, Langston Hughes and Richard Wright.
  Along with film, stage and television, the couple's careers extended 
to a radio show, ``The Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee Story Hour,'' that ran 
on 65 stations for 4 years in the mid-1970s, featuring a mix of black 
themes.
  Ossie Davis, you will be missed.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I believe that all of our speakers who are here have had an 
opportunity to speak. I will use the rest of our time to close.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding a portion of 
the time, and I want to thank all of those who came over to speak. 
There were a number of additional individuals who had signed up but 
were not able to get here, people like the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. 
Conyers), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), the gentlewoman 
from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen), the gentleman from Maryland 
(Mr. Cummings), the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson), the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns), and unfortunately, they were not 
able to come.
  I simply want to indicate that Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee were as much 
a part of being activists as they were being actors, and I want to 
thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) for giving us all the 
opportunity to share in his life today.
  In November of 2003, we launched something called the State of the 
African American Male, and Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee were the luncheon 
speakers. Of course, the luncheon had standing room only, people trying 
to get in; and it was at that gathering where Ossie Davis stated that 
it was his personal mission to reverse the trends affecting young black 
males, such as drug tradition, high dropout rates and criminal issues.
  Ossie Davis will forever live in our hearts and minds through his 
community outreach, his talents on and off camera, and as a loving 
father and husband. He will also be recognized on the world stage as a 
pioneer of the civil rights movement, fighting for justice, equality 
and what he knew were the right things to do.
  Ossie Davis felt a collective effort of change was needed in our 
community and our country, but as he once said, ``It's not the man, 
it's the plan.''
  Today, we honor the man, but we will never forget the plan, the life 
and the influence of Ossie Davis.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield the remainder of our time to the gentlewoman 
from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), for our final words, as she 
has just dashed in, another contemporary and friend of his.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the 
time; and I hasten to add, he did not mean that I was 87 years old, but 
he is right that I regard myself as a good friend of Ossie Davis and 
Ruby Dee, and if I may say so, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee are the most 
remarkable couple in the history of arts and letters in the United 
States, ever; and now we have lost one half of that couple, and America 
across this land mourns the passing of a great artist.
  Mr. Speaker, Ossie Davis was a renaissance man. A renaissance man is 
not a Jack of All Trades. One definition says: a man who has broad 
intellectual interests and is accomplished in areas of both the arts 
and the sciences.
  The notion of the renaissance man comes from the great Renaissance 
era, the Italian Renaissance, the English Renaissance. Out of the 
English Renaissance came such new talents as William Shakespeare.
  Ossie Davis merits the title Renaissance man. There is no area of the 
arts in which he did not excel, and he did not start with the arts. He 
insisted upon being a man of his time and a man of his race. To have 
been a renaissance man in your time, no matter who you were, whatever 
your advantages, is to live up to an impossible standard, but to have 
been born in the worst years of segregation and lynching and mob 
violence in our country, in the South of the United States and to have 
risen to be a man of letters and of the arts who, of course, most 
recently was honored with the greatest honors of our country at the 
Kennedy Center is to give new meaning to the very words Renaissance 
man.
  Who are the men who are understood to be Renaissance men? To give my 
colleagues a cross-section of them, Leonardo Da Vinci, Paul Robeson, 
Thomas Jefferson.

                              {time}  1645

  We use that word when we think of men whose talents are so broad and 
so

[[Page 1931]]

wide, as evidenced in the works they have produced, that there is no 
other word for them. We cannot simply call them an artist. We cannot 
simply call them a producer. We cannot simply call them a playwright. 
We cannot simply call them a stage actor. Because they are all those 
things.
  And then, of course, to have been the kind of artist who understood 
that without compromising his art he could become a leader in the 
greatest revolution of our time, the civil rights revolution, is to 
have set a standard that all of us must admire.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that this resolution has come from the 
whole House, and I ask the whole House to join me and the country in 
celebrating the fact that Ossie Davis proves that if you let a man's 
talent shine, he will overcome whatever you have to throw up and 
whatever you have to throw out.
  We are blessed, we are honored that a renaissance man of his immense 
talent lived among us and gave so much of his talent to his country and 
to his world.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time 
to urge all Members to vote for House Resolution 69.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in 
honoring the life and accomplishments of a monumental figure in our 
history.
  Ossie Davis was one of our most prominent and active civil rights 
leaders. He was a voice of freedom. A voice that would not falter in 
the face of danger. A voice that could not be silenced in a time of 
injustice. He stood with Martin Luther King, Jr. in the fight for 
equality and participated in the March on Washington in 1963. He was 
even blacklisted from Hollywood in 1950s for his political beliefs.
  I had the honor of meeting Ossie Davis and his wife Ruby Dee last 
year at a 25th anniversary gala for Crossroads Theater in New 
Brunswick, New Jersey. Ossie and Ruby were being honored for their 
long-time support of the historic African-American theater. They 
generously donated their time to participate in fundraisers for the 
theater and played a key role in helping Crossroads thrive.
  During the 87 years of his life, Ossie Davis demonstrated the true 
definition of a role model. He graduated in the top 5 percent of his 
class in high school. On a quest for higher knowledge and education, 
Ossie hitch hiked from his home in Cogdell, Georgia all the way to 
Washington, DC to attend Howard University. Ossie also dutifully served 
his country for 4 years in World War II as a surgical technician.
  Ossie Davis was a man who frequently chose the path less traveled and 
broke down barriers, especially on Broadway and in the entertainment 
industry. Using the arts, he capitalized on every opportunity to build 
awareness about the racial injustices occurring in this country. He 
wrote several screen plays, including the critically acclaimed ``Purlie 
Victorious'' and ``Cotton Comes to Harlem''. Ossie even had a radio 
show with his wife, ``The Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee Story Hour,'' which 
ran on 65 stations for four years in the mid-1970s. Ossie has received 
numerous honors for his work including being inducted into the Theater 
Hall of Fame in 1994 and being among the artists to receive the Kennedy 
Center honors in 2004.
  Ossie Davis will always be remembered as one our most cherished civil 
rights leaders. In celebration of his life and accomplishments, I 
strongly urge that we pass this resolution.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of an 
extraordinary, artist, activist, and American, Ossie Davis. Just two 
months ago I made remarks to the House about Ossie and his wife Ruby 
Dee, on the occasion of their acceptance of Kennedy Center Honors. It 
is with great sorrow that I know make remarks on his passing.
  I am consoled only by the fact that Ossie leaves behind a life of 
great achievement. Along the way he established himself as one Black 
America's greatest ambassadors to the arts, and one of this country's 
major contributors to human and civil rights. Born and raised in 
Georgia, he would lived the cruelties of the Jim Crow South. He also 
saw how his parents endured the struggles of that period. It aspired in 
him a desire to write. As he once said, ``I decided to become a writer 
so that I could tell their stories.''
  In 1935 he would hitchhike to Washington DC, to study at Howard 
University. There he would study drama, with the intent of being a 
playwright. During his time in Washington he would witness the great 
African America opera singer Marian Anderson perform on the steps of 
the Lincoln Memorial, after she barred from performing at Constitution 
Hall. The beautiful and inspiring performance solidified his decision 
to purse a career in the arts so that he would be able to share is 
culture with the world.
  In 1939 he came to Harlem--at that time the culture center of Black 
America. There he would begin to hone his craft as a member of the Rose 
McClendon Players, an African American acting company. He would also 
meet and be influenced by some of the great Black figures of the time, 
such as, W.E.B DuBois, A. Philip Randolph, and Langston Hughes.
  World War II would soon interrupt Ossie's stay in Harlem. In the war, 
he served as an Army surgical technician in an all African American 
unit. Shocked by the Nazis' treatment of Jews and frustrated by the 
inequities he saw in the Army, he returned to America in 1945 determine 
to bring about change through his work.
  In 1946, Davis made his Broadway debut in the play Jeb, winning rave 
reviews. It was on the set of that play that he would meet his wife and 
life partner Ruby Dee. He went on to perform in many Broadway 
productions, including Anna Lucasta, The Wisteria Trees, Green 
Pastures, Jamaica, Ballad for Bimshire, The Zulu and the Zayda, and the 
stage version of I'm Not Rappaport. He is probably best known on stage 
for his role in A Raisin in the Sun (1959), a role he would reprise 
again in the play's film version.
  He starred in numerous film and TV roles throughout his career. 
Though a veteran of the movie biz, he continued to star in some of the 
most cutting-edge films of the last few years. He has been a staple in 
almost all of director Spike Lee's films including, Jungle Fever, Get 
on the Bus, School Daze and the classic Do the Right Thing.
  Ossie also distinguished himself as writer and director. He wrote or 
directed many numerous films and plays, the most well known being the 
1970 film Cotton Comes to Harlem. In particular he wrote frequently 
about the civil rights struggle of African Americans. One of the plays 
Davis wrote and directed was The People of Clarendon County, about one 
of the cases that led to the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision 
prohibiting school segregation. He also wrote dramas about the brutal 
1955 killing of the black teenager Emmett Till, the Montgomery bus 
boycott, and Martin Luther King.
  He was a two-time Tony Award nominee, first nominated in 1958 for 
Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance in Jamaica. He was 
again nominated in 1970 for the musical Purlie, based on his 1961 play 
Purlie Victorious. Ossie would go on to receive many honors and 
citations, including the Hall of Fame Award for Outstanding Artistic 
Achievement in 1989; the Theater Hall of Fame in 1994; the U.S. 
National Medal for the Arts in 1995; and the Kennedy Center Honor in 
2004.
  Outside of the stage and screen, Ossie spoke out on some of the most 
controversial issues on the day--moves that were extremely risky to his 
career. With wife Ruby by his side, he would stand up for victims of 
the McCarthy-era witch-hunts, including the famous Black entertainer 
and activist Paul Robson. He also openly embraced the great leader 
Malcolm X, at a time when many prominent African Americans feared doing 
so. Whether through his participation in the March on Washington, to 
his suit in federal court to guarantee Black voting rights, to his 
arrest for protesting the wrongful killing of African immigrant Amadou 
Diallo, he remained an activist. A February 9, 2005 op-ed in the New 
York Post attests to this fact.
  It is said that on the day that Ossie passed, the Broadway stages 
dimmed their lights in his honor. There is a sweet irony to this, 
because the impact that he had on this country will never dim. Through 
his work and deeds, the legacy of Ossie Davis will shine bright 
forever.

                 [From the New York Post, Feb. 9, 2005]

                              Being Ossie


                   he never feared a righteous fight

                          (By Leonard Greene)

       The irony in the death of actor Ossie Davis, of course, is 
     that the person most qualified to deliver his eulogy is sadly 
     unavailable.
       If you ever led a people's movement, or spoke out against 
     war, or empowered the underclass, or fought for freedom, or 
     made men stand up straight or took a bullet while speaking 
     for voiceless garbagemen, there was no better man to speak at 
     your memorial than the man who married Ruby Dee.
       Just ask anyone who crowed into Harlem's Faith Temple 
     Church on that cold day in February, in 1965, when the masses 
     said goodbye to one of their many martyrs.
       Malcolm X had died in a hail of angry bullets, and those 
     who were also wounded needed to hear just the right words.
       ``Malcolm was our manhood, our living, black manhood,'' 
     Davis said to the sad assembled crowd. ``This was his meaning 
     to his

[[Page 1932]]

     people. And, in honoring him, we honor the best in 
     ourselves.''
       Three years later, after another bullet rang out, and 
     another strong black leader was silenced, Davis again 
     searched within, and found more words to soothe. Martin 
     Luther King Jr. had been assassinated the day before in 
     Memphis, and tensions in New York were running high
       ``How much, America, do you expect us to bear?'' Davis said 
     at a memorial rally in Central Park. ``There is not time 
     left. For every Martin they cut down, there must be a hundred 
     Martins to step into his shoes.''
       Davis never did find his hundred. He never even found five 
     or 10. There could only ever be one Martin. So Davis did the 
     next best thing.
       He continued being Ossie.
       Often, being Ossie meant lending his name, voice and body 
     to a cause when others were silent or invisible.
       Whether he was organizing the historic 1963 March on 
     Washington--where King gave his ``I Have a Dream'' speech--or 
     trying to save the famed Apollo Theater, Davis was as 
     dedicated to a righteous outcome as he was to getting his 
     lines right.
       ``I've known Ossie since I was a teenager, and he has 
     supported my efforts, sometimes alone, in the struggle for 
     civil and human rights,'' said the Rev. Al Sharpton, an 
     activist in his own right. ``Ossie was always gentle, 
     committed and supportive.''
       Sharpton recalls the months after Amadou Diallo, an unarmed 
     immigrant, was shot to death by police on the Bronx street 
     six years ago.
       Many prominent rappers, who had decried police brutality in 
     the lyrics they spat out over sampled beats, wouldn't step 
     outside their studios to actually protest against it.
       But when Davis, 81 at the time, and his wife were asked to 
     participate, they wasted no time getting arrested.
       For Davis, ``action'' meant something more than a word from 
     a director.
       In the end, the Rev. James Forbes and the Rev. Calvin 
     Butts, two community icons, will share officiating duties at 
     Davis' funeral Saturday.
       Despite the challenge, their task will be somewhat easier 
     because their subject--unlike Malcolm and Martin--lived to 
     see 40 years. Twice.
       And therein lies the answer to the hypothetical that has 
     intrigued us for a generation: What would have become of 
     Malcolm and Martin if they had been allowed to grow old? 
     Chances are they would have gotten gray, and moved a little 
     slower--two fires that still burned, but would not go out.
       They would have been dismissed by some as past their prime. 
     Yet they would have kept on walking, and kept on talking, and 
     kept on fighting for justice and good schools until the very 
     last breath escaped from their dying lips.
       Just like Ossie.

  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, America has lost more than an 
entertainer. We have lost one of the most committed and dedicated 
citizens that I have ever known. We grew up with Ossie Davis. During 
the March from Selma to Montgomery, during the struggle in Birmingham 
he was one of the people that the Civil Rights Movement depended on to 
help mobilize people and support for our efforts.
  He was a fighter for civil liberty, for civil rights, for social 
justice, and for peace. Whether it was speaking out against violence 
abroad or violence here at home, he lent his voice. Whether it was 
narrating a film or serving as master of ceremonies at a civil rights 
rally, he was there. He dedicated his life and his art to the causes of 
justice and peace.
  Ossie's career spanned the last five decades as a writer, and actor, 
director and producer for the theater and in film. He was a trailblazer 
for African Americans. He served our country in World War II as a 
surgical technician in the first black station hospital and also 
entertained his fellow soldiers as a writer and producer of stage 
shows. He came home from war and used his talents both on stage and off 
to make the world a better place.
  He and his wife Ruby Dee shared their lives and their art and 
together received Kennedy Center Honors for their lifetime achievements 
in the arts, the National Medal of the Arts and the Screen Actor 
Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award.
  He was a friend, a great talent, a leader, and a great American. He 
will be greatly missed.
  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, most of the world knows that Ossie Davis was 
the ``Man with a Plan''. He urged the African American leadership to 
unite behind a blueprint for liberation, progress and prosperity. Today 
I would also like to note that Ossie Davis was the man always available 
to support a just cause. His great fame and success never led him to 
succumb to the isolation of stardom. He was a natural superstar who 
never lost his touch with activists and the common man. Personally I 
owe many debts to Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. I first met him at civil 
rights rallies in the sixties. When he was called he showed up for 
rallies and demonstrations and never indicated any fear of reprisals at 
the box office. In 1982, as I campaigned for Congress, he responded to 
my call for help and hosted a fundraiser for Major Owens, the little 
known, underdog candidate for the district previously represented by 
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Some years later he responded to my 
plea for his presence at an ``All-Night Teach-In'' held at the Borough 
of Manhattan Community College to protest devastating budget cuts of 
education and social programs. My last face to face meeting with Ossie 
Davis occurred at a Brooklyn College ``Rally for the Restoration of 
Democracy in Haiti''. That was in October of 2004, just four months 
ago. Again, not worrying about the consequences of his public 
statement, Ossie Davis denounced the murder of democracy in Haiti by 
the Bush administration. To the very end he was a ``Man with a Plan'' 
available to promote truth, freedom and justice. His life and the 
record of his achievements will long endure to inspire millions in the 
future.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I join our Nation in 
mourning and remembering one of our finest citizens, Mr. Ossie Davis.
  Born Raidford Chatman Davis or ``Ossie'' in Cordell, Georgia in 1917, 
Ossie Davis knew at an early age exactly what he wanted to do in life. 
He decided to attend college at Howard University to become a 
playwright.
  Many of us knew Ossie as an actor and political activist but he also 
served in the United States Army during World War II, where he was 
stationed at the Army's first black station hospital before being 
transferred to special services to write and produce stage shows for 
the troops.
  During the civil rights era, Ossie and his wife Ruby Dee fought 
tirelessly to promote equal rights and justice for African-Americans 
subjected to segregation. And although he suffered tremendous loss 
professionally, his career has been nothing short of stellar.
  Besides an outstanding career on Broadway, Ossie Davis should also be 
remembered as a pioneer in the film and theatre world, including his 
performance in the movie classic, ``A Raisin in the Sun.''
  I will fondly remember when the couple traveled in the early 1980s to 
my district of Dallas to shoot their show, ``With Ossie & Ruby'', a 
public television series produced by a local television station. They 
were also very generous to local charities, including the Black Academy 
of Arts and Letters.
  His marriage of more than 50 years to actress, Ruby Dee is truly an 
inspiration to many people, young and old. Last year, they both 
received the Kennedy Center Honors for their lifetime of achievement in 
the arts.
  Mr. Speaker, we should all learn by the example of the life of Ossie 
Davis. Our nation will remember his courage, determination, humility, 
and service to our country.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 69 that 
honors the life and accomplishments of the late Ossie Davis, an 
American actor and activist par excellence.
  When you think about the importance of images, and the lives you can 
influence with images, you have to agree that Ossie Davis has stood 
tall as an image well respected by several generations of Americans, in 
particular African American youth.
  As an actor, playwright, and filmmaker, Ossie Davis crafted images 
that reflect what is good about African American manhood. His tall 
stature, his deep voice, his choice of roles that successfully 
portrayed the lives, hopes and dreams of African American men from 
youth to senior, gave the world a view of the best that we can be.
  As an activist, Ossie Davis did not fail to speak up for his fellow 
man, he was a vibrant part of the struggle for civil rights in this 
country. He lent his voice and his energies to those causes that 
benefited not only himself, but many of those around him.
  Ossie Davis's legendary partnership with Ruby Dee as an artist, an 
activist and as a husband and father, was also a strong and enduring 
image for all American families.
  I commend Ossie Davis at the culmination of his life, for 
contributing to the health of the African American community by 
providing us with healthy images of ourselves to treasure and to pass 
on to our children.
  The Congressional Black Caucus has lost a friend in Ossie Davis. He 
helped to frame our mission all those years ago by emphasizing to us at 
the first Annual Legislative event that ``it is not the man, it's the 
plan.'' Over the years we have been encouraged by his friendship and we 
will miss his counsel.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, most people will remember Ossie Davis as 
the deep-voiced actor who paved the way for African-American 
performers. He helped widen horizons for blacks on stage and screen 
while fighting for civil rights from Washington to Hollywood.

[[Page 1933]]

  Born in Codgell, Ga, in my district, Raiford Chatman Davis was known 
as ``RC.'' This was later misunderstood to be ``Ossie'' and he kept the 
name his entire life.
  Ossie Davis grew up in Waycross and Valdosta, Georgia. He later 
hitchhiked to Washington, DC to attend Howard University to study 
drama. Ossie Davis had intended to be a writer, but his fame came from 
his incisive and wide-ranging acting performances over five decades, 
even as he wrote plays and screenplays and directed and produced.
  Ossie and his wife, Ruby Dee, were married in 1948. Their marriage 
was a true partnership, and during their decades together they worked 
to make America a better place. They entertained us in the films and 
theater productions they starred in together. They were tireless 
activists during the civil rights era. They persevered when blacklisted 
during the McCarthy era. Nothing shook their devotion to each other or 
to the causes that motivated them.
  In December, when Ossie Davis was honored at the Kennedy Center, Sean 
``P-Diddy'' Combs said that Davis helped pave the road for two 
generations of black performers.
  Ossie Davis said that night, ``We knew that every time we got a job 
and every time we were onstage, America was looking to make judgments 
about all black folks on the basis of how you looked, how you sounded, 
how you carried yourself. So any role you had was a role that was 
involved in the struggle for black identification. You couldn't escape 
it.''
  In an example of art imitating life, Ossie Davis delivered the eulogy 
in the film ``Malcolm X.'' it was the same eulogy he had actually 
delivered at Malcolm X's memorial service. Davis was politically 
active, especially with the civil rights movement, and he was also an 
opponent to Senator Joseph McCarthy's Communist witch hunt of the 
1950s.

                    [From the Ledger, Feb. 9, 2005]

               Ossie Davis Was a Trailblazer in Life, Art

                           (By Wendell Brock)

       Ossie Davis helped break the color barrier on Broadway, was 
     a quiet but conscientious force in the civil rights movement 
     and--late in his 65-year career in the entertainment 
     industry--became a picture of cool among a younger generation 
     of African-American artists, including filmmaker Spike Lee, 
     pop mogul Sean P. Diddy Combs and Atlanta director Kenny 
     Leon.
       The tall, lumbering Davis and his wife, the actress Ruby 
     Dee, were a luminous and nearly inseparable celebrity couple. 
     Together, they received the National Medal of the Arts from 
     President Clinton in 1995 and the prestigious Kennedy Center 
     Honors last year.
       But at the end of the day, Davis, who died Friday at 87, 
     remained a generous, easily approachable senior statesman for 
     the arts who never forgot his humble beginnings as the son of 
     a South Georgia railroad worker who could not write his name.
       ``He was just a model of how you can be an artist and an 
     activist, that one did not negate the other,'' Lee said 
     Friday. ``That one did not have to be scared that if you 
     speak out, it would kill or wipe out your career. It is a 
     great loss, but we will celebrate his life.''
       ``Ossie and Ruby are like the godfather and godmother of 
     American theater,'' said Leon, recalling how the couple 
     attended previews of his Broadway production of ``A Raisin in 
     the Sun'' last year and gave notes to stage newcomer Combs. 
     ``Ossie is certainly the soul of black theater.''
       Davis, who was in Miami Beach filming a comedy called 
     ``Retirement,'' was found dead in his hotel room early Friday 
     morning. The passing of the tall, robust octogenarian with 
     the rich baritone caught his family and colleagues by 
     surprise.
       At the time of her husband's death, Dee was in New Zealand 
     working on her own film project. A family spokesman said 
     Friday afternoon that the actress was en route to the 
     couple's home in New Rochelle, N.Y., and that arrangements 
     would be announced later.
       Besides Dee, Davis is survived by three children: Nora; 
     Hasna; and Guy, a blues artist; and seven grandchildren.
       Dee and Davis were frequently in Atlanta, where she starred 
     in ``St. Lucy's Eyes'' at the Alliance Theatre, and they were 
     honored by the Atlanta Film Festival, both in 2003. They made 
     frequent appearances at Spelman, Morehouse and Morris Brown 
     colleges, as well as Clark Atlanta University.
       ``He and Ruby Dee were like the Lunt and Fontanne for 
     African-Americans, and all of us as Americans,'' said Kent 
     Gash, associate artistic director of the Alliance Theatre. 
     ``He was just always so real, and that was always so true 
     about his work, both as an actor and as a writer. He just 
     quietly pushed a lot of barriers out of the way and continued 
     to do this amazing work for an incredible period of time. . . 
     . He paved the way for so many of us in American theater.''
       C.B. Hackworth, the writer and producer of the special, 
     said Davis told him he had been ill when they met him in 
     early January to do filming.
       ``He said, `I'm not at my best, but don't worry, I'll do it 
     as many times as you need.' He was a consummate 
     professional,' '' Hackworth said.
       The oldest of five children, the artist was born Raiford 
     Chatman Davis in tiny Cogdell, Ga., on Dec. 18, 1917, and 
     grew up in nearby Waycross and Valdosta. His mother's 
     pronunciation of his initials R.C. was heard as Ossie. He 
     left home in 1935, hitchhiking to Washington to enter Howard 
     University, where he studied drama, intending to be a 
     playwright.
       By 1939, he'd made his way to Harlem, N.Y., where he got 
     work as an actor and mingled with the likes of Langston 
     Hughes, W.E.B. Du Bois and Richard Wright.
       He and Dee first worked together in the 1946 Broadway play 
     ``Jeb.'' In December 1948, on a day off from rehearsals from 
     another play, they took a bus to New Jersey to get married.
       ``They were so close that it felt almost like an 
     appointment we finally got around to keeping,'' Dee wrote in 
     their 1998 autobiography, ``In This Life Together.''
       ``I thought it was a pretty good use of a Thursday,'' Davis 
     wrote with his trademark pithiness.
       He appeared in dozens of TV programs and more than 30 
     films, beginning with 1950's ``No Way Out,'' with Dee and 
     Sidney Poitier, and culminating in last year's ``She Hate 
     Me.''
       But perhaps his most enduring film legacy is his six-
     picture run with Lee: ``School Daze,'' ``Do the Right 
     Thing,'' ``Jungle Fever,'' ``Malcolm X,'' ``Get on the Bus'' 
     and ``She Hate Me.''
       ``When he started working with Spike Lee, it revitalized 
     his career,'' said film historian Donald Bogle. ``I actually 
     think he's better (in the Lee films) than he was as a younger 
     actor. He's so powerful, so assured.''
       Davis and Dee often found themselves in the eye of social 
     and political change.
       With a voice as comforting and mellifluous as a country 
     preacher, he gave eulogies at the funerals of the Rev. Martin 
     Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, whom he called ``our own black 
     shining prince--who didn't hesitate to die, because he loved 
     us so.''
       Besides his extensive acting and directing credits for 
     stage, film and TV, Davis was the author of eight plays, 
     including 1961's ``Purlie Victorious,'' a comedy lampooning 
     racial stereotypes.
       In 1970, Davis co-wrote the book for ``Purlie,'' a musical 
     version of the play. A revival of the musical is planned for 
     Broadway next season.
       The rousing gospel song, ``Walk Him up the Stairs,'' is a 
     highlight of that show. Sung at a funeral, it is likely to 
     have a special resonance when Davis' story returns to 
     Broadway.
       ``He took the hearts of millions with him, and I will never 
     get over not having him to talk to,'' said actor Burt 
     Reynolds. ``I'll still talk to him every night, I know he's 
     sitting next to God, now, and I know God envies that voice, 
     and I hope he listens when Ossie tells him his ideas of what 
     brotherhood means.''
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Ossie Davis, an 
American legend. Ossie Davis was an actor and an activist who believed 
the function of art was to better society. He said he could not imagine 
art without struggle, and he could not imagine struggle without being 
knee deep in it. His worthy struggled ended on February 4, 2005, at the 
age of 87, while practicing the craft he loved so dearly on the set of 
the movie Retirement.
  Mr. Speaker, throughout his life, Ossie Davis was knee deep in 
struggle. He was born in 1917, in Cogdell, Georgia, the heart of the 
segregated South. His mother named him Raiford Chatman Davis, RC for 
short. But when his mother pronounced his initials to the white nurse 
in attendance, the nurse mis-heard her, and recorded the infant's name 
as Ossie. Fearful of challenging the white nurse's authority, Laura 
Davis accepted her son's new name.
  Mr. Speaker, Ossie Davis's childhood was not an easy one. His father 
oversaw the building of railroads in Georgia. A manager and supervisor, 
Kince Charles Davis was an anomaly in the segregated South. In fact, 
his esteemed position made the Davis family the target of racism and 
threats of violence. More than once, the KKK threatened to shoot Kince 
Davis ``like a dog.''
  Mr. Speaker, from a young age, Ossie Davis took refuge from racism by 
plunging into his studies. He loved Shakespeare and dreamed of becoming 
a writer and an actor himself. In 1939 he followed his dreams to New 
York City, and joined the Rose McClendon Players. He befriended the 
intellectual giants of the Harlem Renaissance, basked in the glow of 
their brilliance, and was inspired by their passion for empowerment 
through the unity of arts and politics.
  Ossie Davis made sacrifices for his craft. After an evening 
performance, he would often retire to a nearby park bench. But for 
Davis, the sacrifices were well worth it. Towards the end of his life, 
Davis recalled the moment he understood his mission as a black artist. 
In 1939, he heard Marian Anderson, who had

[[Page 1934]]

been banned from performing in Constitution Hall, sing in front of the 
Lincoln Memorial. According to USA Today, he told students at Cornell 
University in the 1990s, ``I understood fully for the first time the 
importance of black song, black music, black arts. I was handed my 
spiritual assignment that night.''
  Mr. Speaker, Ossie Davis believed he had a responsibility to his race 
and a responsibility to his country. In 1942, he enlisted in the Army 
and served as a surgical technician in Liberia. His patriotism, his 
heartfelt belief in what America could and should be, guided him 
throughout his life. He chose to perform in plays that showcased 
America's promise, while demonstrating its flaws. One such play was 
``Jeb,'' an American Negro Theater production about a black soldier 
returning from World War II only to encounter racism in the country for 
which he fought. ``Jeb'' was an important piece of social commentary. 
For Ossie Davis, it was doubly important, because it was in ``Jeb'' 
that he met his wife, his partner in love and life, as well as in art 
and activism, Ruby Dee.
  Mr. Speaker, the union of Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee was among the most 
fruitful acting partnerships in American history. Together, they made 
well over 150 films and plays. They also made history. During the fiery 
days of the Red Scare, Davis and Dee, who were nearly blacklisted 
themselves, stood up for their friend Paul Robeson, and for America's 
key freedoms. Reflecting on those trying years, Davis told the Boston 
Globe in 2003, ``I'm sure my wife and I suffered, but we never knew 
whether we were being punished for being black or being red.''
  Mr. Speaker, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee fought for an end to racism in 
American cities and in American film. They crusaded for civil liberties 
and protested for peace. They served as MC's during the 1963 March on 
Washington. They worked with black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, 
Jr., Malcolm X, and Fannie Lou Hamer. Upon their deaths, Davis 
eulogized Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.
  Ossie Davis understood the value of hard work, the potential for 
collective action, and the crucial responsibility of government. When 
President Reagan proposed a 50% cut in the National Endowment for the 
Humanities budget, Davis registered his dissent to the House 
Appropriations Subcommittee. He said, ``I was able to pull myself up by 
my bootstraps--but only because the Federal Government provided the 
boots.''
  Ossie Davis was an actor and activist, a player and a poet, a husband 
and a father, an example to us all. Mr. Speaker, my words are 
insufficient to memorialize this great man. Instead, I leave you with 
Ossie Davis's wise words, from an interview with Tavis Smiley on 
National Public Radio. ``We can't float through life, we can't be 
incidental or accidental. We must fix our gaze on a guiding star as 
soon as one comes up on the horizon. And once we've attached ourselves 
to that star, we must keep our eyes on it and our hands on the 
plough.''
  Mr. Speaker, let us let Ossie Davis's words be our guiding star. May 
he rest in peace.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 69, a 
resolution honoring the life and accomplishments of the late actor, 
director, veteran, and civil rights activist Ossie Davis.
  Ossie Davis was born in Cogdell, Georgia in 1917. Davis realized his 
love for acting and writing while attending Howard University, here in 
Washington, D.C. After finishing his education, Davis moved to Harlem, 
New York on a quest to start his acting career. Before he could move 
into acting, Davis was drafted by the United States Army. He served in 
the Army medical unit during World War II.
  Ossie Davis appeared in almost all forms of entertainment. He was 
brilliant to watch on stage and knew how to captivate an audience. On 
screen he made all the characters he played come to life right before 
our eyes. Even as great as he was on stage and film, Davis' passion was 
writing. He wanted to move audiences not just by his acting but by his 
written word.
  Davis and his wife Ruby Dee, also an established actor, were very 
active in civil rights issues and promoting African-Americans in the 
entertainment industry. They sued for African-American voting rights, 
and when their friend, Paul Robeson, was blacklisted, they stood by his 
side only to become a victim themselves. Ossie and Ruby Dee were proud 
participants in the March on Washington in 1963.
  Davis received several awards throughout his career, including the 
Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement award and the Kennedy Center 
Honor, which he received with his wife in 2004.
  In particular, I will recall his powerful voice as host of the annual 
National Memorial Day Concert held on the West Lawn of the Capitol. As 
an eleven-time host of the concert, his appearance each and every year 
was an inspiring addition to our remembrance of those who served our 
nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I was truly saddened upon learning of his passing this 
past Friday. I would like to express my deepest condolences to Ossie 
Davis' family. My thoughts are with his wife Ruby Dee and his three 
children Guy Davis, Hasna Muhammad, and particularly Nora Day, a proud 
resident of Montclair, NJ.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support 
for H. Res. 69, honoring the life and accomplishments of the late Ossie 
Davis.
  Ossie Davis was a devoted African American, husband, father, actor, 
director, soldier, activist, and pioneer. He was born in 1917 in 
Cogdell, GA and was the son of a railroad worker. Ossie Davis was 
passionately involved in civil rights issues and efforts to advance the 
cause of African Americans in the entertainment industry. Known for 
taking roles that tackled racial injustice, he understood the 
importance of black song, black music, and black arts.
  His career as an actor began in 1939 with the Rose McClendon Players 
in Harlem. It was there that he met and mingled with some of the most 
influential figures of his time, including Langston Hughes, A. Phillip 
Randolph and W.E.B. DuBois.
  His acting career was interrupted when he was asked to serve in the 
Army during World War II. He served in Libya at an African American 
medical unit as an Army Surgical technician, where he stabilized some 
of the 700,000 soldiers wounded in that war.
  In 1948, Ossie Davis debuted on Broadway in ``Jeb,'' a play about a 
soldier returning home. His co-star was Ruby Dee, his wife of 56 years, 
whose stage career paralleled his own. The couple went on to write, 
direct, and star in several films, most notably ``Cotton Comes to 
Harlem'' in 1970 and ``Countdown at Kusini'' in 1976. Ossie appeared in 
over 80 productions and was honored by the Kennedy Center for 
Performing Arts in 2004.
  I had the unique opportunity to meet and spend time with Ossie Davis 
over the years, and cherished every moment. He was a man of character, 
wisdom, dignity, and excellence. He embodied a sly humor and genuine 
kindness that many will remember him by. My thoughts and prayers go out 
to his family, friends, and all who loved him. As we celebrate Black 
History Month, let us remember the life and accomplishments of the late 
Ossie Davis, a true pioneer and advocate of African Americans in the 
entertainment industry and in life.
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay my respects to a great 
civil rights pioneer; a man who provided vital social and political 
commentary on our nation at a time when it was unwelcome to do so. 
Above all Ossie Davis was an activist for social equality. He believed 
vigorously in the tenets on which our nation was founded: freedom, 
justice, and that all men are indeed created equal.
  Ossie Davis passed away last year at the age of 87. With his passing 
our nation lost not only a leader of the civil rights movement but also 
one of the preeminent playwrights, authors and actors of the African 
American community.
  Over his 50 years in the entertainment business, Ossie Davis wrote 
various plays, television shoves and movies, shedding necessary light 
on the challenges facing the African American community and race 
relations in the United States.
  He was a champion for the disenfranchised, providing a voice for 
those who could not speak out and inspiration for those seeking a 
better life. Ossie's theatrical achievements and unabashed commentary 
on the civil rights movement led to him receiving the Silver Circle 
Award from the Academy of the Television Arts and Sciences in 1994, the 
National Medal of Arts in 1995, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from 
the Screen Actor's Guild in 2000. He was also honored by the Kennedy 
Center in 2004.
  Through his proactive participation in the entertainment industry, 
Ossie Davis exhibited a deep resolve to highlighting the struggle for 
equality in the African American community and, in so doing, changed 
the direction of our nation.
  I commend Congressman Conyers on awarding Ossie Davis this well-
deserved medal. His contributions to the African American community and 
our entire nation should not go overlooked.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the 
life of the great Ossie Davis. It a fitting time to pay tribute to this 
exemplary African American as February is African-American History 
month. Ossie Davis was a constituent and someone whose counsel I came 
to value over the past many years. Sadly, he has just passed away.

[[Page 1935]]

  Just last December I saw Ossie Davis when he was being honored at the 
Kennedy Center in Washington for his life and career. I made a point of 
going that night so that I too could honor him. It was a fitting 
tribute to a man I first saw perform on Broadway when I was a child. 
Years later, I was thrilled to meet him and be his Representative in 
Congress.
  Ossie Davis made significant contributions to our culture through his 
talented work in film and his noble involvement in civil rights issues 
and efforts to promote the cause of African Americans in the 
entertainment industry. A resident of Mt. Vernon and New Rochelle in 
New York, he wrote, acted, directed, and produced for the theatre and 
Hollywood, and was a central figure among black performers of the last 
five decades.
  In 1963, Davis participated in the landmark civil rights 
demonstration, the March on Washington. Two years later, he delivered a 
memorable eulogy for his slain friend, civil rights leader Malcolm X. 
Davis also left behind a vast body of work in film. He starred in such 
movies as The Joe Louis Story, Slaves, Let's Do It Again, Grumpy Old 
Men and Dr. Dolittle, as well as Spike Lee's School Daze, Do the Right 
Thing, and Jungle Fever. As a director, he is probably best remembered 
for 1970's gritty Cotton Comes to Harlem, a precursor to the 
blaxploitation films of the decade, and 1973's Gordon's War.
  I am also pleased to be a cosponsor of a resolution that honors the 
great life and work of the great Ossie Davis. Through his talents and 
dedication, Ossie Davis, like many other African Americans, has left 
his mark as a positive leader in his community and significant 
contributor to our culture.
  As we reflect on the contributions of innumerable African-Americans 
during this month, I want to commend his work and his life to my 
colleagues. I have lost a valued constituent and America has lost a 
great leader and entertainer.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 69.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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