[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 25]
[House]
[Pages 34078-34079]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO SYLVIA PRESSLEY WOODS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of South 
Carolina's own, Sylvia Pressley Woods, affectionately known as the 
``Queen of Soul Food.'' In August of 1962, Sylvia put her charismatic 
personality to the test by purchasing a restaurant, which at the time 
was only a small luncheonette, from her boss.
  Almost 50 years later, Sylvia's, as she named it, has become a 
landmark at 126th Street and Lenox Avenue, and a place where everyone 
knows they can get a taste of authentic southern soul food cuisine. The 
restaurant also serves to remind the community's residents that hard 
work, determination, and love of family can lead to success.
  Madam Speaker, Woods herself has a remarkable story that encapsulates 
much of the 20th century African-American history. She was born Sylvia 
Pressley on February 2, 1926, in Hemingway, South Carolina, a small 
rural town which I proudly represent in this august body. On December 
22, next week, many of her friends will gather at Sanders Point near 
Santee, South Carolina, to celebrate the holidays with Sylvia. Tonight, 
I am being joined by members of the New York delegation in honoring a 
loving mother, an astute restaurateur, an enterprising businesswoman, 
and an outstanding South Carolinian, Mrs. Sylvia Pressley Woods.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I would like to yield to the dean of the 
New York delegation, the Honorable Charles Rangel.
  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, a special thanks to Jim Clyburn, our Whip 
and leader, for reaching back to pay tribute to an American that so 
often people forget what one can accomplish in this great country if 
they are willing to work hard.
  You know, Mr. Clyburn, I knew the world famous owner of Sylvia's when 
she was a waitress at a restaurant just one block away where she 
anchored her success, and she and her husband came together and went to 
South Carolina, two friends, in order to get the money necessary for 
her to start her own future. Mr. Woods, and we just lost him a few 
years back, would be up at 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning with that 
truck, going to the produce markets, picking the best vegetables, and 
then she would have her children and now her grandchildren, all a part 
of this wonderful family, and now that she's reached a point that her 
products are sold in supermarkets and throughout the world and that she 
has acclaimed a great deal of attention from tourists all over the 
world as these tourist buses are lined up, it doesn't surprise anybody 
to see Sylvia there asking these customers that she probably will never 
see again in life, How did you enjoy the meal and what can we do to 
help?
  So let me thank you on behalf of all of Harlemites, even Congressman 
Gregory Meeks from the borough of Queens, who has to admit that coming 
from Harlem means a special thing to us, because he was one of us 
before he lost his way. And so when I heard that you were doing this on 
behalf of Harlem, who cherishes the rise of Sylvia's late husband, her 
children and her wonderful grandchildren, who still bring people from 
all over the world into the village of Harlem, let me thank you, Jim 
Clyburn, for reminding us that we have so many heroes and ``sheroes'' 
in our country, and they deserve what you're doing for them in South 
Carolina. I thank you.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I would like to now yield to one who has 
lost his way and will refind it tonight, the Honorable Gregory Meeks 
from the Sixth District of New York.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Thank you, Mr. Whip, and I thank you also for 
bringing this recognition to Sylvia; because as a former Harlemite, I 
can recall going to Sylvia's. It was a place that brought families 
together. I can recall my parents bringing me to Sylvia's to have a 
family dinner or having breakfast in the morning. And it united people 
and it made us proud because it did say just what the chairman said, 
talking about African Americans owning their own business and feeding 
the masses as she did. And it was affordable.
  So it was a family place. And, for me, I can remember those 
breakfasts. Those grits and salmon cakes were just delicious and 
fantastic. As I am here now standing and looking, and we are talking 
about trade all over the world. You talk about reducing the trade 
deficit for the United States? Sylvia is helping to reduce the trade 
deficit as she now cans her food and sends it all across the world so 
they all can enjoy the delicious food.
  Thank you for honoring Sylvia Woods today because she is truly a 
shero, one that I can recall as a young child looking up to and saying 
that one day that we could be prosperous like her. Thank you for never 
forgetting her roots and where we come from, Mr. Whip.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Thank you, Mr. Meeks.
  Let me close my 5 minutes, Madam Speaker, by reiterating something 
that I think all of us ought to think about. Sylvia Pressley Woods' 
father died when she was 3 days old. He died from the effects of 
chemical weapons that he had encountered in World War I. Her 
grandfather was hanged when her mother was a little child. But all of 
that experience helped to toughen her and make her the outstanding 
entrepreneur that she is today. On February 2, she turns 82 years old, 
but she gets up every morning and still goes to that restaurant. She is 
a great woman.
  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, Sylvia's Restaurant of Harlem is known as 
one of this country's greatest restaurants which has a selection of 
mouth-watering dishes that each time will leave you wanting more. This 
is one of the best-known restaurants in New York and serves its patrons 
good southern cooking with a dash of Sylvia's secret seasoning.
  Sylvia Woods worked at Johnson's Luncheonette as a waitress. Her 
opportunity came when the owner offered to sell her the business. She 
purchased the original luncheonette by borrowing $20,000 from her 
mother who had to mortgage her farm in Hemingway, SC.
  The establishment, which consists of not only the restaurant but 
catering and banquet facilities, was started in July of 1962. back then 
the menu consisted of very simple things; pigtails, lima beans, 
hamhocks, and neck bones. There was only one cook on staff and they 
picked their food up in the trunk of a car.
  In 1981, they bought an adjoining building on Lenox Avenue, renovated 
it and turned it into a dining room. In 1992, Sylvia's son, Van Woods, 
launched a line of Sylvia's Soul Food Proucts. The line consists of 
Sylvia's world famous all-purpose sauces, pre-seasoned vegetables, 
spices, syrup, cornbread, pancake mixes, and several other items that 
can be found on the shelves at any grocery store.
  With the help of some great investors, Sylvia's was able to open its 
second restaurant in

[[Page 34079]]

Atlanta, Georgia in 1997. Sylvia's of Atlanta is located right across 
from City Hall. Plans are in the works to open additional Sylvia's 
restaurants in Texas, Kansas, Illinois, California, South Carolina, and 
Paris, France.
  This well-known restaurant attracts a clientele that ranges from 
harlem locals to visiting celebrities including President Bill Clinton, 
Nelson Mandela, and Magic Johnson.
  However, Sylvia's success is not based solely on her restaurants and 
food product line. Recently, the family launched a line of beauty 
products for hair and skin. Sylvia's beauty products consist of two 
brands: Sylvia's Beauty and Soul Products; and African Vision Products.
  Sylvia and her husband Herbert will tell you the secret of their 
success is love, family and hard work, love of God, love of family, 
love of friends, customers, and love of work.
  Sylvia and Herbert met in a bean field when they were 11 and 12 years 
old, respectively. They attended the same school and church and have 
now been married for nearly 65 years.
  I would like to honor Sylvia's Soul Food Restaurant where I have 
eaten on many occasions and where I plan to eat again.

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