[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1779]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO REVEREND DR. C.W. NEWSOME

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 14, 2006

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, it was with 
overwhelming sadness that I learned of the passing of The Reverend Dr. 
C.W. Newsome last week. For more than 40 years my friend and mentor 
Rev. Charles Newsome served as a moral compass for our community. For 
more than 40 years he was our spiritual rock and for more than 40 years 
he was our seeker of justice. There was no question in his mind or ours 
why God put him on this earth. Rev. Charles Newsome came to us to lead 
the way in the struggle for economic and social justice and to heal the 
scars of racism on our country and our community. And he did. With 
strength and trust given to him by the people he served, he fought for 
the rights of all people to seek opportunity and to be free from 
bigotry. He understood that there was no other way for us to build a 
lasting integrated and strong community. Year after year our friend led 
the efforts for better housing, schools, jobs, and health care for 
everyone. So very often he took his church, North Richmond Missionary 
Baptist Church, and its members into the forefront of these battles. 
Rev. Newsome knew the strength of the church depended on its 
involvement with the daily needs of its members and our community. Over 
these many years I have enjoyed our conversations, treasured his 
friendship, and highly valued his counsel on a wide variety of issues.
  Reverend Newsome was born on June 15, 1924, in Brenham, Texas. Prior 
to his commitment to the faith ministry, he served valiantly as a U.S. 
Marine, in the Segregated Corps, fighting against Nazi fascism in the 
European Theater of World War II. An injury forced him to leave the 
service and he eventually came to Richmond, continuing to support our 
country's effort by working in the shipyards. His participation in 
shipbuilding and that of the countless African Americans who migrated 
west during the war, led Richmond to become one of the leading 
industrial hubs of the world. Today his legacy and that of all of the 
men and women who built our country's warships has been memorialized as 
Rosie the Riveter National Historic Park.
  With an insatiable appetite for learning, Reverend Newsome attended 
Contra Costa College for his AA Degree, the University of California 
Berkeley for his undergraduate work, Bishop College in Dallas to study 
theology, and received his Doctorate from Reeds Christian College--
Western Theology Seminary in Los Angeles. Following the completion of 
his studies, he began his life's work. Rev. Newsome's ministry has 
included Organizing Pastor of Holy Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church 
in Richmond, and heading the Community Baptist Church in Santa Rosa, 
California. In 1966 he took on the pastoral duties at North Richmond 
Baptist Missionary Church. Building on his congregation's stature in 
the community as the first ``Negro Baptist Church of Contra Costa 
County'', Rev. Newsome continued to break new ground in the name of 
social justice. He led laborers to fight for equality in the workplace 
and led families to fight for safety in our schools and on our streets.
  It was just two years ago that I came to this Well to mark Reverend 
Newsome's retirement after 38 extraordinary years as Pastor of North 
Richmond Missionary Baptist Church. This congregation under his 
leadership has become a beacon of hope in a community struggling 
against issues of social and economic injustice.
  To Reverend Newsome's wife, Alice, his daughters Patricia Cooper and 
Redonda Newsome, and his son, Reverend Charles Newsome, I extend my 
heartfelt condolences. Their loss is shared not only by those who knew 
Reverend Newsome but by all who have been touched by the work he has 
done. We will be forever grateful for his skill, strength and courage 
as he sought to make our community and our country a better place for 
all of us. We are so grateful to his family and his church for sharing 
him with us for so many years. We celebrate his life without sorrow 
because we know God has much need of him.
  ``What does the Lord require of us--to do justice, to love kindness 
and to walk humbly with thy God''--Micah 6.

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