[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 17180-17184]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        CONGRATULATING SPELMAN COLLEGE ON ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 875) congratulating Spelman College on 
the occasion of its 125th anniversary, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 875

       Whereas Spelman College was established by Sophia B. 
     Packard and Harriet E. Giles, school teachers and Baptist 
     missionaries, in 1881 in Atlanta, Georgia, for the purpose of 
     educating African American women and girls;
       Whereas as a result of the benevolence of John D. 
     Rockefeller, Sr. and Laura Spelman Rockefeller, the name of 
     the institution was changed from ``Atlanta Baptist Female 
     Seminary'' to ``Spelman Seminary'' in honor of the Spelman 
     family;
       Whereas the curriculum expanded to include high school and 
     college classes, and Spelman Seminary conferred its first 
     high school diplomas in 1887, and its first college degrees 
     in 1901;
       Whereas in 1924, Spelman Seminary officially became Spelman 
     College and grew to become a leading undergraduate 
     institution for African American women;
       Whereas Spelman College was ranked among the top 75 Best 
     Liberal Arts Colleges according to U.S. News & World Report, 
     2007 edition;
       Whereas Spelman College is one of six institutions 
     designated by the National Science Foundation and the 
     National Aeronautics and Space Administration as a Model 
     Institution for Excellence in undergraduate science and math 
     education;
       Whereas the administration of Spelman College has initiated 
     a strategic plan for Spelman (``Spelman ALIVE'') that 
     includes five goals: Academic excellence, Leadership 
     development, Improving the infrastructure, Visibility of 
     accomplishments of the campus community, and Exemplary 
     customer service, all designed to create a vision for Spelman 
     of ``Nothing Less than the Best''; and
       Whereas Spelman College has prepared more than six 
     generations of African American women to reach the highest 
     levels of academic, community, and professional achievement: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) congratulates Spelman College on the occasion of its 
     125th anniversary; and
       (2) commends the administration, faculty, staff, students, 
     and alumnae of Spelman College for their outstanding 
     achievements, and contributions to African American 
     education, history, and culture.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks on House Resolution 875.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?

[[Page 17181]]

  There was no objection.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 875, which is a 
resolution to recognize the contributions of Spelman College on the 
occasion of its 125th anniversary. I sincerely want to thank the 
gentleman from Georgia, my good friend, Mr. Lewis, for introducing this 
resolution and for his continuing recognition of the important role 
Spelman College plays in educating young women from all over the world.
  Spelman College, located in Atlanta, Georgia, was originally founded 
in 1881 by two women with the intent of serving as an all-female 
seminary school. The school has since expanded its mission and ranks 
now as one of the leading liberal arts institutions offering a full 
range of degrees.
  Today, Spelman educates over 2,000 young women and brings students 
from across the United States and around the globe to our community of 
Atlanta. As a Historically Black College and University, Spelman is one 
of a diverse community of institutions. Historically, black colleges 
and universities include 2- and 4-year institutions, both public and 
private, as well as single sex and coed.
  To be designated a Historically Black College or University, an 
institution must have been established prior to 1964, with a primary 
mission of educating African Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, these schools have a long, proud and well-established 
heritage. These institutions have been educating students of this 
Nation for over 100 years. And while comprising less than 3 percent of 
the country's 2- and 4-year institutions, they are responsible for 
producing a significant number of all bachelors, masters and 
professional degrees earned by African Americans.
  Congress has repeatedly recognized the importance of Historically 
Black Colleges and Universities. Between 1995 and 2006, congressional 
funding for strengthening the Historical Black Colleges and 
Universities program rose from $109 million to $238 million, a 118 
percent increase.
  Furthermore, funding for the graduate programs increased from $19.6 
million to $57.9 million over that same period of time, an increase of 
nearly 200 percent.
  Historically, Spelman College has been named as a college with the 
``best environment.'' Spelman works with its fellow colleges and 
universities to advance the goals of educating African American 
students as part of the largest consortium of historically black higher 
education institutions in the world.

                              {time}  1600

  It does this by sharing cross-registration with its partner 
institutions, which include Clark Atlanta University, the 
Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse College and the 
Morehouse School of Medicine.
  Mr. Speaker, for this reason and many more, I urge my colleagues to 
honor the 125th anniversary of Spelman College and support H. Res. 875.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such 
time as he might consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), the 
author of this legislation and the chief deputy whip of the Democratic 
Caucus.
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague and 
friend Mr. Davis for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure and delight that I rise with 
my colleague Mr. Kingston of Georgia to offer H. Res. 875, a resolution 
commemorating the 125th anniversary of Spelman College. I must also 
thank Mr. Price and Mr. Gingrey of Georgia for being here to 
participate in the passing of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, not so long ago, 50 years ago, in many parts of the 
American south, black women had limited options when it came to 
furthering their education after high school. Just 50 years ago, black 
women were turned away from many colleges and universities throughout 
the south. They were turned away not because of a low GPA, not because 
of inferior SAT scores and not for submitting a poorly written essay 
with their application. So many of these students were turned away 
simply because of the color of their skin.
  Mr. Speaker, fortunately, since 1881, Spelman College has been here 
to provide hope, opportunity and a bright future for women of color. 
Created for the purpose of educating African American women and girls, 
Spelman is part of the Atlanta University Center, which is the largest 
concentration of historic black universities and colleges in the 
Nation. Spelman College is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and I have the 
privilege of representing Spelman as part of my congressional district. 
Spelman has a very diverse student population from 41 States and 15 
foreign countries. It has been ranked among the top 75 liberal arts 
colleges in the Nation by U.S. News and World Report.
  Mr. Speaker, one of the many things that I admire about Spelman 
College is that its students are encouraged to pursue the study of 
fields where minorities and women are often underrepresented. This is 
evident in Spelman's continued emphasis on exposing black women to the 
fields of science and engineering. Spelman has established a 
partnership with NASA, and it is one of six institutions designated by 
the National Science Foundation and NASA as a model institution for 
excellence in undergraduate science and math education.
  Mr. Speaker, last summer, Spelman College made history when six 
Spelman women qualified for the International Robo Cup 2005 Four-Legged 
Robot Soccer Competition in Japan. They were the first and only 
historically black college and university, the only all-women 
institution and the only United States undergraduate institution to 
qualify for this tournament.
  Mr. Speaker, under the leadership of current Spelman's president, Dr. 
Beverly Daniel Tatum, I have every confidence that the institution will 
continue to excel. Dr. Tatum's extraordinary vision for the college 
will enable Spelman to make extraordinary contributions to our Nation 
for another 125 years and beyond. I want to congratulate President 
Tatum for creating and executing the Spelman ALIVE initiative that 
promotes the following ideas for Spelman: Academic excellence, 
Leadership development, Improving our environment, Visibility of our 
achievements and Exemplary customer service. I understand that this 
program is enjoying much success.
  Mr. Speaker, for 125 years, Spelman College has empowered women to 
fully use their talents to succeed and to better the world. For many 
years, Spelman College served as a refuge for black women seeking to 
further their education when they were turned away by others. 
Fortunately, times have changed, and black women have virtually 
unlimited options when it comes to pursuing a college education today.
  Nevertheless, Spelman's impact on our society remains as important as 
ever. As one of two historically black women's colleges in the Nation, 
Spelman College has a rich and historical legacy that we must continue 
to celebrate.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I ask and urge all of my colleagues in the House to 
join me and Congressman Kingston in commemorating the 125th anniversary 
of Spelman College and in supporting this resolution.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to 
my colleague from Georgia (Mr. Kingston).
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Price for his cosponsorship of 
this, and also, I wanted to acknowledge my friends Mr. Scott and Mr. 
Gingrey for their cosponsorship, but I also wanted to say, many thanks 
to my friend John Lewis, the lead sponsor of this.
  When he asked me to cosponsor the resolution commemorating Spelman 
College for their 125th anniversary, it was an easy ``yes,'' Mr. 
Speaker, and it was easy because I had an employee who is a Spelman 
graduate. Her name is Karen Robenson Boggans. She is not working with 
me anymore and, indeed,

[[Page 17182]]

has gone on to bigger and better things, but I hope that I helped her 
on the pathway to the top. She is doing great things.
  When she was my legislative assistant, Karen handled many issues. She 
was smart, intelligent, capable, task-oriented, focused and got the job 
done, and only because she was moving out of town did she leave our 
office. In fact, when she moved back to Savannah, I was able to get her 
to come back to work for us for a short period of time, and then she 
got a bigger calling one more time.
  But if she is an example, and she is, of a Spelman graduate, it is a 
great institution, and I know it to be a great institution.
  As Mr. Lewis pointed out: in 1881, when Spelman was started, it was a 
school for African American women because there were not many choices. 
Now there are lots and lots of choices, and yet Spelman still continues 
to show lots of leadership. It is still a great choice for women to go 
to this school because they learn how to be competitive, and they learn 
business, and they learn how to write, and they learn the basics of 
getting the job done. They are all over the world today. They are in 39 
different countries and 42 different States. It is international in 
scope.
  The funding for historically black colleges and institutions since 
1995, under the leadership, I believe, of J.C. Watts, and as much as 
anybody, but good bipartisan leadership has increased 118 percent. 
Spelman College is an investment not just in historically black 
colleges and institutions but in America, because you are investing in 
your own people who will go on to become great leaders in our country.
  So I am proud to stand as a cosponsor of this, and I thank the 
gentleman.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 6 
minutes to another son of Georgia (Mr. Scott).
  Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, thank you very much to my 
distinguished colleague from Chicago, Congressman Davis; my 
distinguished colleague and Congressman from Georgia, John Lewis; to my 
distinguished colleagues from Georgia, Mr. Kingston, Dr. Price. I 
appreciate so much having this opportunity, and I am also pleased to 
join with my colleague Mr. Gingrey.
  I am honored on this day to recognize one of our Nation's most 
prestigious institutions of higher learning, and that is indeed Spelman 
College. Singularly devoted to the education of women, Spelman College 
now celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.
  What an extraordinary story this is, Mr. Speaker, because when you 
tell the story of Spelman, you are telling a truly genuine American 
story that represents the heart and soul of what America is all about.
  Spelman College is a private and historically black college that 
opened its doors less than two full decades after the Emancipation 
Proclamation and the ratification of the 13th amendment, and out of 
necessity, and it was necessary to provide educational opportunities 
for black women in the south when none existed.
  To get the proper perspective on this, Mr. Speaker, we must 
understand that it was not long, just a few years before this, when the 
law of the land was not to allow African Americans to even read a book. 
Just think of that: In this country, it was against the law for African 
Americans to even learn to read.
  It is within this backdrop that Spelman College stepped forward.
  Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles founded Spelman College in 
Atlanta, Georgia, naming it first the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary. 
It began as a comprehensive academy that provided education for women 
from elementary school all the way through to college. It was renamed 
Spelman Seminary in 1884 and underwent one final change, becoming 
Spelman College in 1924.
  Let me stop for a moment to give the importance of this name Spelman. 
It originated from a member of the distinguished Rockefeller family. 
For without John D. Rockefeller, it can arguably be said that there 
would have been no Spelman.
  Reflecting on the early relationship forged by this institution's 
founders, it was a unique relationship with John D. Rockefeller himself 
who provided necessary resources that ensured the longevity of this 
college. So as we celebrate the 125th anniversary of Spelman College, 
let us pay direct homage to the Rockefeller family, without whom this 
college would not have been.
  The academic achievements of its students and the rigor of its 
academic programs have brought numerous honors to this private college. 
Spelman was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa honor society in 1998, 
one of only four historically black colleges and universities to 
receive such an honor. In 2003, Spelman was named one of six 
institutions to receive a $4.2 million grant from the National 
Institutes of Health's National Center for Minority Health and Health 
Disparities to eliminate health disparities among racial and ethnic 
minorities.
  They put together a health and wellness initiative that set the 
standard for academic institutions' outreach to the community to 
improve health care. Spelman College did that.
  Throughout its history, Spelman's campus has grown, reflecting the 
addition of new programs and the strengthening of its renowned liberal 
arts program. A new academic center that houses several departments, a 
museum and the college archives resulted from a $20 million donation 
from Bill and Camille Cosby.
  Indeed, an institution lives in the hearts and minds of the people 
who inhabit it, and Spelman's many accomplished graduates include the 
founder of the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman; actress 
Esther Rolle; Pulitzer Prize novelist Alice Walker; and writer, Pearl 
Cleage.
  Many distinguished presidents have been at its helm, notably Dr. 
Johnetta Cole, the institution's first black female president and 
current president of Bennett College; Dr. Audrey Manley, former deputy 
Surgeon General; and current president, Dr. Beverly Tatum, 
administrator and clinical psychologist.
  What a great day this is, Mr. Speaker, for us to be able to stand 
here in this wonderful country and pay homage to Spelman College on its 
125th anniversary. What a distinguished institution, and we are proud 
of the great service that it has given to African Americans for sure, 
but most definitely to this great Nation of America and the world.

                              {time}  1615

  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to my friend 
and colleague from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding, and I 
rise today to congratulate Spelman College on its 125th anniversary. 
This is a historic anniversary for a historic institution, and I am 
indeed proud to cosponsor the resolution of my good friend Mr. Lewis 
and my other Georgia colleagues in honoring Spelman College.
  In 1881, two female schoolteachers, Sophia Packard and Harriet Giles, 
established Spelman College in Atlanta for the purpose of educating 
African American women and girls. Over its 125-year history, there have 
been many individuals who have worked hard to bring excellence to this 
institution, a tradition that indeed continues today.
  Spelman College today encompasses a student body of more than 2,100 
students from more than 21 States and 15 foreign countries. In 2006, 
their excellence was noted nationally when U.S. News and World Report 
ranked Spelman College among the top 75 best liberal arts colleges in 
the country.
  Mr. Speaker, in this resolution, just looking at a couple of points, 
Spelman College was ranked, as I say, among the top 75 best liberal 
arts colleges, according to U.S. News and World Report; also the 
Association of Medical Colleges ranked Spelman fifth among 
undergraduate programs for black students accepted to medical school; 
and Spelman is one of six institutions designated by the National 
Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration as a model institution for excellence in undergraduate 
science and math studies.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to commend Spelman 
College President Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, as well as the 
administration,

[[Page 17183]]

the faculty, students, and alumni for contributing to the enormous 
success Spelman College has achieved over these past 125 years. With 
Dr. Tatum's vision for achieving excellence, I know the next 125-plus 
years will see the same quality education and the strong community 
support of Spelman College.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with Representatives Price, 
Kingston, Gingrey, Scott, and my good friend and the chief sponsor of 
this legislation, Mr. Lewis from Georgia. I rise in strong support of 
H. Res. 875 congratulating Spelman College on the occasion of its 125th 
anniversary.
  I am pleased to take this opportunity to recognize the achievements 
of this fine institution of higher education and to pay special tribute 
to the unique role it has played in the lives of students, especially 
African American women. Spelman College, founded in 1881, for the 
purposes of educating African American women, set a high standard early 
on for providing quality instruction and valuable experiences, 
especially at a time when opportunities were not plentiful for African 
Americans, let alone African American women.
  As a Historically Black College, Spelman has focused on not only 
increasing opportunities for black women, but it is also their mission 
to ensure students think objectively, critically, and creatively within 
a moral framework. Founded by two Massachusetts teachers, Harriet Giles 
and Sophia Packard, the school was originally named the Atlanta Baptist 
Female Seminary. The school was started with 11 black women and $100 
given to Miss Giles and Miss Packard by a church congregation in 
Medford, Massachusetts. With the $100, the two teachers built more than 
a school, rather a foundation and a reason for women to believe in 
themselves and to aspire to do and be more.
  The school eventually became Spelman College, named after John D. 
Rockefeller's in-laws. When funds ran out, Rockefeller settled the debt 
on the property and donated funds for what is currently the oldest 
building on campus, Rockefeller Hall. This institution produced many 
notable alumni, including Marian Wright Edelman, head of the Children's 
Defense Fund; novelist Alice Walker; as well as the mother of Martin 
Luther King, Jr., Ms. Alberta Williams King.
  Spelman continues the tradition of excellence as one of the best 
liberal arts colleges in the Nation, according to the latest rankings 
of U.S. News and World Report. This prestige is coupled with the 
designation by the National Science Foundation and the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration as a model institution for 
excellence in undergraduate science and math education. Spelman is one 
of six in the country with this designation.
  In the Spelman tradition of seeing a need and filling the need, the 
school created the Spelman College Health and Wellness Initiative. This 
program is helping to create preventive strategies for the unique 
circumstances that apply to all African American women. These 
strategies are currently being developed and used to prevent cancer, 
cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS in African American 
women.
  To top this all off, last year Spelman College made history when six 
Spelman women qualified for the international RoboCup 2005 robot soccer 
competition in Osaka, Japan. They were the first and only Historically 
Black College and University, the only all-women institution, and the 
only United States undergraduate institution to qualify for this 
tournament. For those of you unfamiliar with the RoboCup, it is truly 
an amazing competition. Students from all over the world enter their 
robot into a competition to play soccer against humans.
  Spelman is one of those schools that offers its students the 
opportunity to broaden their horizons and reach their fullest 
potential. Among African American women especially, and in black life, 
the young African American woman who gets an opportunity to go to 
Spelman considers herself to be not only honored but is often in awe. 
It is considered to be sui generis, fruit of the loom, in a class by 
itself, all alone. And there is nothing more delightful to a young 
African American woman growing up in this country than the opportunity 
to attend Spelman.
  So I join with all of my colleagues in congratulating this fine and 
outstanding institution, and I urge support for this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased also to join Mr. 
Davis and my good friends from Georgia, Mr. Scott, and the author, Mr. 
Lewis, in urging all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 875.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Spelman 
College on the occasion of their 125th anniversary. 125 years ago, two 
Baptist missionaries Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles traveled to 
Atlanta, Georgia for the purpose of educating African American women 
and girls. Founded as Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary on April 11, 
1881, the first Bible class was held in the basement of the Friendship 
Baptist Church for 11 brave young women--who only years earlier had 
been enslaved.
  Since that day, Spelman College has maintained a tradition of 
producing African American women of excellence who have gone on to 
serve in various capacities throughout the world and has empowered its 
daughters to make a difference in their communities while shattering 
stereotypes.
  Spelman is an institution within the African American community and 
remains an intricate part of American history. In 1884, the college was 
renamed Spelman Seminary, and later Spelman College, in honor of Mrs. 
Laura Spelman Rockefeller and her parents Harvey Buel and Lucy Henry 
Spelman, who were longtime activists in the antislavery movement. In 
1968, thousands came to mourn the loss of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., 
whose body was laid in state on Spelman's Campus in the historic 
Sisters Chapel. And in 1987, millions of viewers were introduced to 
Spelman's beautiful campus through the groundbreaking Cosby Show spin-
off ``A Different World.''
  Today, Spelman continues to be the leading institution for educating 
African American women and was ranked among the top 75 Best Liberal 
Arts Colleges according to U.S. News & World Report, 2005 edition.
  I am proud to say that I am a friend of Spelman College. Dr. 
Johnnetta B. Cole, the first African American female to serve as 
president of Spelman is a good friend of mine. Additionally, Nicole Y. 
Williams, a class of 2000 Spelman graduate and the current president of 
the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the National Alumnae Association of 
Spelman College has been a member of my staff for over five years 
serving as my Communications Director.
  Spelman's current President, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum continues to 
strengthen the Spelman legacy through her Spelman ALIVE strategic plan 
that includes five goals: Academic excellence, Leadership development, 
Improving the infrastructure, Visibility of accomplishments of the 
campus community, and Exemplary customer service, all designed to 
create a vision for Spelman of `Nothing Less than the Best'.
  So today, I join my colleagues in commending Spelman College on 
reaching this milestone and wish them continued success.
  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to add my congratulations to 
Spelman College for providing African American women with outstanding 
education and guidance for the last 125 years.
  Spelman College was founded in 1881 as Atlanta Baptist Female Academy 
by two women commissioned by the Baptist church to provide educational 
opportunities for newly freed black women. Spelman began in a damp 
church basement with 11 pupils, mostly women, determined to learn to 
read the Bible and write well enough to send letters to their families 
in the North. The academy first offered postsecondary education in 
1897. It adopted its present name in 1924.
  Two years after its founding, the former barracks and drill grounds 
used for federal troops after the Civil War were purchased for the 
school for $15,000. To pay the enormous debt, the black community 
raised $4000, the Negro Baptists of Georgia raised $3000, and 
individuals donated $1300, which left an outstanding balance of $6700. 
John D. Rockefeller was so impressed with the school when he visited 
that before he left, he paid the outstanding balance, which resulted in 
a name change to Spelman Seminary, in honor of Rockefeller's mother-in-
law, Harvey Spelman. Several years later, Rockefeller donated $40,000 
toward the building of Rockefeller Hall, named in his honor.

[[Page 17184]]

  Spelman continues to be blessed with friends dedicated to its mission 
to provide high-quality educational opportunities to black women. 
Spelman was the recipient of a $20 million gift from entertainer Bill 
Cosby and his wife Camille to build the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby 
Academic Center. The school also receives $37 million from the DeWitt 
Wallace/Spelman College Fund, which was established by the founder of 
the Reader's Digest Association. The College has gained national 
recognition as a result of such philanthropic gifts and the fact that 
it was the basis for the fictional black college in the television show 
``A Different World.''
  Despite large-scale development, Spelman continues to place special 
emphasis on the cultural, social, and personal development of each 
student and sisterhood and individual discovery is encouraged and 
stressed. Spelman continues to prepare women to become successful in 
any field they choose while also instilling a sense of giving back to 
the community, with their motto of ``Women Who Serve''. The founder of 
the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman, Spelman '60, is 
perhaps this generation's most effective voice for the disadvantaged 
and forgotten in our society. The author Alice Walker, Spelman '63, who 
received the Pulitzer Prize in literature for The Color Purple is also 
a dedicated activist and social visionary.
  I am particularly proud that a Massachusetts native and member of the 
Spelman class of 2006, Tulani Elisa, has chosen to serve the people of 
the 7th Congressional District of Massachusetts here in my Washington 
office.
  Congratulations to a great American institution of higher learning 
and of commitment to service.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Res. 875, Congratulating Spelman College on the occasion of its 125th 
anniversary.
  Spelman College was established by Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. 
Giles, school teachers and Baptist missionaries, in 1881 in Atlanta, 
Georgia, in order to educate African American women and girls.
  The seminary conferred its first high school diplomas in 1887, and 
its first college degrees in 1901. In 1924, Spelman Seminary officially 
became Spelman College and grew to become a leading undergraduate 
institution for African American women.
  Spelman College has prepared more than six generations of African 
American women to reach the highest levels of academic, community, and 
professional achievement.
  Spelman College continues to pave the way for new generations of 
African American students. The college offers competitive and high 
quality academic programs in liberal arts, humanities, sciences, 
communications, and engineering, to name just a few.
  The Association of Medical Colleges ranks Spelman College fifth among 
undergraduate programs for Black students accepted to medical school, 
and Spelman is one of six institutions designated by the National 
Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration as a Model Institution for Excellence in undergraduate 
science and math education.
  I urge my colleagues to support the achievements of this institution, 
and support this resolution honoring the 125th anniversary of Spelman 
College.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution, H. Res. 875, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

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