[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3487-3494]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE NAACP ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 35) honoring and 
praising the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People, NAACP, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 35

       Whereas the National Association for the Advancement of 
     Colored People (referred to in this resolution as the 
     ``NAACP''), originally known as the National Negro Committee, 
     was founded in New York City on February 12, 1909, the 
     centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, by a multiracial group 
     of activists who met in a national conference to discuss the 
     civil and political rights of African-Americans;
       Whereas the NAACP was founded by a distinguished group of 
     leaders in the struggle for civil and political liberty, 
     including Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, 
     Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, and William 
     English Walling;
       Whereas the NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights 
     organization in the United States;
       Whereas the mission of the NAACP is to ensure the 
     political, educational, social, and economic equality of 
     rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and 
     racial discrimination;
       Whereas the NAACP is committed to achieving its goals 
     through nonviolence;
       Whereas the NAACP advances its mission through reliance 
     upon the press, the petition, the ballot, and the courts, and 
     has been persistent in the use of legal and moral persuasion, 
     even in the face of overt and violent racial hostility;
       Whereas the NAACP has used political pressure, marches, 
     demonstrations, and effective lobbying to serve as the voice, 
     as well as the shield, for minority Americans;
       Whereas after years of fighting segregation in public 
     schools, the NAACP, under the leadership of Special Counsel 
     Thurgood Marshall, won one of its greatest legal victories in 
     the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education, 
     374 U.S. 483 (1954);
       Whereas in 1955, NAACP member Rosa Parks was arrested and 
     fined for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in 
     Montgomery, Alabama--an act of courage that would serve as 
     the catalyst for the largest grassroots civil rights movement 
     in the history of the United States;
       Whereas the NAACP was prominent in lobbying for the passage 
     of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, and 1964, the Voting 
     Rights Act of 1965, the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta 
     Scott King, Cesar E. Chavez, Barbara C. Jordan, William C. 
     Velasquez, and Dr. Hector P. Garcia Voting Rights Act 
     Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006, and the Fair 
     Housing Act, laws that ensured Government protection for 
     legal victories achieved;
       Whereas in 2005, the NAACP launched the Disaster Relief 
     Fund to help survivors in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, 
     Florida, and Alabama to rebuild their lives;
       Whereas in the 110th Congress, the NAACP was prominent in 
     lobbying for the passage of H. Res. 826, whose resolved 
     clause expresses that: (1) the hanging of nooses is a 
     horrible act when used for the purpose of intimidation and 
     which under certain circumstances can be criminal; (2) this 
     conduct should be investigated thoroughly by Federal 
     authorities; and (3) any criminal violations should be 
     vigorously prosecuted; and
       Whereas in 2008 the NAACP vigorously supported the passage 
     of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007 
     (28 U.S.C. 509 note), a law that puts additional Federal 
     resources into solving the heinous crimes that occurred in 
     the early days of the civil rights struggle that remain 
     unsolved and bringing those who perpetrated such crimes to 
     justice: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the historic 
     founding of the National Association for the Advancement of 
     Colored People; and
       (2) honors and praises the National Association for the 
     Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 
     anniversary for its work to ensure the political, 
     educational, social, and economic equality of all persons.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material 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. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today we honor the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People, the Nation's oldest and largest civil 
rights organization, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, for a 
century of unwavering commitment to justice and equality for all.
  The NAACP, founded on February 12, 1909, by Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. 
DuBois, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villiard 
and William English Walling was indeed a labor of diversity.
  Since its inception, the NAACP has united students, laborers, 
professionals, scholars, officials and others of all races to advance 
its vision of a society in which all individuals have equal rights and 
there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.
  Historically, the NAACP may be best known for Thurgood Marshall's 
successful advocacy leading to the watershed 1954 Brown v. Board of 
Education decision, in which the Supreme Court held that separate 
educational facilities are inherently unequal.
  The NAACP is also known for the work of its chief advocate for more 
than 30 years, Clarence Mitchell, who worked to secure the 1957, 1960 
and 1964 Civil Rights Acts, as well as the 1965 Voting Rights Act and 
the 1968 Fair Housing Act.
  But we salute the NAACP not only for these better-known 
accomplishments, but for all of its efforts to promote justice and 
equality for every American, throughout the past 100 years.
  And the NAACP spoke out against lynching, challenged racially biased 
Supreme Court justice nominees as early as 1930, and pursued 
nondiscrimination policies in the military, in war-related industries, 
and the rest of the Federal Government during the world wars. At the 
height of the Civil Rights era, NAACP fought battles everywhere, on the 
ground, in the courtroom, and in the United States Congress.
  Finally, in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, we draw 
inspiration as we look to the continued work that lies ahead. From Dr. 
King

[[Page 3488]]

and Coretta Scott King, from Rosa Parks, from Medgar Evers and Merlie 
Evers-Williams, from Julian Bond, from Kweisi Mfume and from so many 
others who have gone before, and from the current leadership of 
President Benjamin Todd Jealous, Washington Bureau Directory, Hilary 
Shelton, and Legal Defense Fund President John Payton, through whom the 
NAACP has been promoting African American graduation and college 
readiness, protecting and advancing voting rights and identifying 
solutions to our current fiscal crisis.
  As we celebrate the NAACP's centennial anniversary, I am confident 
that the organization will remain an integral part of our Nation's 
efforts to protect and promote civil rights for all Americans.
  I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 35.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I support House Concurrent Resolution 35 which 
recognizes the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. For a century now, the 
NAACP has fought to bring justice and racial equality to all of 
America.
  In 1917, the NAACP won a legal victory in the Supreme Court which 
held that States could not restrict and officially segregate black 
Americans into residential districts. The same year the NAACP fought 
for the right of black Americans to be commissioned as officers in 
World War I.
  In 1935, NAACP lawyers Charles Houston and Thurgood Marshall won a 
legal battle to admit a black student to the University of Maryland.
  During World War II, the NAACP led the effort that resulted in 
President Franklin Roosevelt's ordering a nondiscrimination policy in 
war-related industries and Federal employment.
  And in 1948, the NAACP convinced President Harry Truman to sign an 
executive order banning discrimination by the Federal Government.
  In 1954, under the leadership of Special Counsel Thurgood Marshall, 
the NAACP won one of its greatest legal victories in Brown v. Board of 
Education, which found segregated schools and other educational 
facilities in the United States to be unlawful.
  In 1960, in Greensboro, North Carolina, members of the NAACP Youth 
Council launched a series of nonviolent sit-ins at segregated lunch 
counters. The segregation ended.
  The history of America's modern struggle to live up to our 
constitutional principles includes a major role by the NAACP, and it 
continues to champion the cause of social justice today.
  It is with pleasure that I join in supporting this concurrent 
resolution, which I hope raises even greater awareness of this 
organization's historic contributions to the cause of civil rights.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield the balance of my time 
to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), also a member of the Judiciary 
Committee.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas 
will control the balance of the time.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Texas, Congressman Al Green.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in the inner sanctum of my soul, 
I believe that although the arc of the moral universe is long, as Dr. 
King put it, it bends toward justice. However, I must confess that in 
the cognitive confines of my cranium, I know that it does so because of 
organizations like the NAACP.
  For 100 years, the NAACP has been there bending the arc of the moral 
universe toward justice for all. From anti-lynching legislation to 
Brown v. Board of Education, to the election of the 44th President of 
this Nation, the NAACP has been there.
  For 100 years, it's been there because of brave and noble Americans 
who made great sacrifice that all may have a better life. Brave and 
noble Americans like NAACPer Rosa Parks, who took a stand by taking a 
seat and ignited a spark as a result that enhanced the Civil Rights 
Movement; brave and noble Americans like NAACPer Medgar Evers, who 
sacrificed his life in an effort to bring justice to all; brave and 
noble Americans like white NAACPer John Shalady, who was beaten by a 
mob and eventually died in his effort to secure rights for blacks.
  For 100 years, it's been there demonstrating at the White House, 
negotiating and litigating at the courthouse. Hence, it is indeed most 
appropriate that the Congress of the United States of America honor the 
NAACP on this, its 100th anniversary.
  To this end, Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member 
Lamar Smith, subcommittee chair Bobby Scott, floor leader Hank Johnson, 
and also now floor leader Judge Ted Poe. I also thank the 105 U.S. 
House cosponsors of this legislation. I thank Senator Dodd and his 20 
cosponsors of the companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
  And, in closing, at the risk of being both redundant and superfluous, 
I beg, beseech and entreat my colleagues to support this resolution 
because, in so doing, you are voting for liberty and justice for all, 
as pronounced in the Pledge of Allegiance. In so doing, you are voting 
for government of the people by the people for the people, as 
proclaimed in the Constitution. In so doing, you are voting for the 
equality of all, as promulgated in the Declaration of Independence. By 
voting for this resolution, you are continuing to bend the arc of the 
moral universe toward justice.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Franks).
  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, today I stand here to honor the 
NAACP. We all honor the NAACP in this House. It has been at the 
forefront of the civil rights struggle in this country for 100 years, 
and though 100 years have passed since the founding of the NAACP, there 
still remains great work to be done.
  Mr. Speaker, last summer dozens of black pastors and black mothers 
attended the 99th annual NAACP conference in Cincinnati to call on the 
NAACP to help expose one of the least known and yet one of the most 
pervasive forms of racism at work still in this country, the targeting 
of the black community by abortion providers. Many of these advocates 
who gathered at the NAACP I have the privilege to call precious 
friends. Dr. Alveda King, who leads King for America, is the niece of 
Dr. Martin Luther King.

                              {time}  1745

  Bishop Harry Jackson; Reverend Johnny Hunter, the founder of LEARN, 
America's largest African American pro-life organization; the Reverend 
Clenard Childress of LEARN Northeast; Catherine Davis with the Georgia 
Right to Life; Lawson Lipford-Cruz, the president of Black Students for 
Life; and David Owens, among many, many others. Their goal was simply 
to fulfill the mission of the NAACP, and that is to ensure equality 
and, most importantly, equal protection of the law for all.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to quote Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin 
Luther King, who helped lead the rally outside the NAACP conference.
  ``Racism lives at Planned Parenthood. I say to my fellow NAACP 
members: It's time to tell the government to stop funding racism. 
Planned Parenthood will gladly accept donations for the specific 
purpose of aborting only black babies,'' King said. ``It locates its 
clinics in or near minority neighborhoods. It has led the way in 
eliminating African Americans to the point where one quarter of the 
black population is now missing because of abortion.''
  King called on the Nation's oldest civil rights organization to 
remember its mission statement: ``To ensure the political, educational, 
social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate 
racial hatred and racial discrimination.''
  Day Gardner, the president of the National Black Pro-Life Union, 
said, ``As a child, I thought the NAACP to be a superhero organization, 
an organization that would fight racism right

[[Page 3489]]

down to its very core.'' She stressed that the NAACP leaders need to 
have their eyes opened to the agenda of government-supported abortion 
providers and to what she believes is their strategic marketing to the 
black community.
  According to reported statistics, Mr. Speaker, a black child is 
nearly five times more likely to be aborted than a white child.
  Gardner continued. ``We are here to rally the NAACP, to make our 
voices heard as we shout in unison `all across this great Nation the 
struggle is not yet over. The evil hand of racism is still at work.'''
  Gardner also spoke about the Federal tax dollars that go to Planned 
Parenthood. She said it was time for Congress to end that funding. She 
asked, ``Why are we forced to pay well over $300 million to an 
organization that is overtly racist? We are calling on the NAACP to 
stand boldly with us to defund Planned Parenthood and even lead the way 
in this, the greatest struggle for civil rights.''
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to echo and agree with the words of Dr. King 
and of Day Gardner, that for the NAACP to fully advance the cause of 
the black community, it must take a stand and fight on behalf of the 
most helpless, voiceless, politically unempowered members of the black 
community--those being the unborn.
  Today, one out of every two black babies conceived in this country is 
lost to abortion. That is an astonishing reality that I cannot find the 
words to describe. I just want to thank those courageous members of the 
NAACP for their fight against this unspeakable tragedy. We must all 
open our eyes to the racist history of abortion-on-demand movements in 
this country and its devastating impact on black America. It is past 
time to defund such a movement in this country.
  To that end, I will also be reintroducing the PreNDA bill, the 
Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act, to end sex-selection abortion and race-
selection abortion in this country. It is the duty of all of us to come 
together and to eliminate this deadly form of discrimination in this 
generation.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Tennessee--the Chair of the Commercial and 
Administrative Law Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, my good 
friend, Mr. Steve Cohen.
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I am a life member of the NAACP. In my 
lifetime, in the city of Memphis, there have been all kinds of 
activists involved in civil rights work or in political work, and the 
people who have always stood out as the champions have been the members 
of the NAACP. They have been the people who have been involved in 
looking out for human rights, voting rights, and civil rights for 
people, regardless of their color, because it was the right thing to do 
and not because of any political advantage to themselves.
  For those particular individuals of which Maxine Vasco Smith, Russell 
Sugarman, A.W. Willis, Jesse Turner, and others have been leaders, I 
commend them and thank them for their efforts before me.
  This is the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. In the African American 
community, there are only two other organizations that are renowned and 
that have celebrated 100 years of existence. The others are the Alphas, 
a distinguished fraternity; Alpha Phi Alpha; and the AKA sorority, 
Alpha Kappa Alpha. Each has celebrated its 100th anniversaries most 
recently.
  The NAACP today is headed up by Julian Bond, one of the heroes of the 
Civil Rights Movement. He is a distinguished gentleman who has done a 
phenomenal job for 50 years in leading people toward the rights of free 
conscience as well as civil rights and other rights. Those are the 
types of activities that the NAACP has been involved in.
  It was started 100 years ago by a biracial group of people who 
thought it was time that America lived up to its promise. It had been 
approximately 40-some-odd years since the end of the Civil War, and yet 
we still had Jim Crow laws. This country had not advanced greatly from 
the time of the Civil War. We had the period of reconstruction, and 
then after that there was a step back in civil rights. These people 
decided there should be a change, and they have worked assiduously to 
see that that happens. They are often known or thought about with 
Thurgood Marshall and the work done for the Brown versus Board of 
Education in 1954 in bringing about that landmark decision. The NAACP 
Legal Defense Fund, which does so much, is a separate arm from the 
NAACP, but it was founded by it, and their activities in the courts 
have yielded great benefits to Americans throughout the years.
  When it comes to hate crimes, the NAACP has been on the front lines. 
With voting rights, they're on the front lines. So those leaders, such 
as Dr. Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Medgar 
Evers, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Benjamin Hooks from my hometown of 
Memphis, Jesse Turner, Jr., from my hometown of Memphis, who served as 
national treasurer of the late Jesse Turner, Sr., and others have 
fought the good fight for the NAACP, and they continue to do so as the 
moral conscience of this Congress in lobbying for legislation that this 
Congress needs to pass.
  They published a report card on the work of this Congress, and it 
does hold people up to account for the works that they have done in 
these years. They helped me in passing a policy for slavery in Jim 
Crow. I appreciate their work. I am proud, and I ask my colleagues to 
join with me in voting for the resolution.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Farr).
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud lifelong member of the NAACP, and 
today, I join my colleagues in celebrating this 100th anniversary. I am 
especially proud of my local moderate county branch of the NAACP where 
our chapter was created in 1932, and I believe this chapter ranks as 
one of the largest per capita branches in the United States, and has 
been active in education and law for all of these many years. I can 
tell you we are all better off for it.
  Our chapter's proudest member is Ben Jealous, now the youngest and, 
in my opinion, the most dynamic president of the NAACP. As we recognize 
the great achievements of one of America's best organizations, let us 
not forget that the struggle continues. We still face discrimination in 
our communities, in our schools and in the workplace. It is a struggle 
that requires continuing education and legal action.
  The NAACP offers us many examples as we continue on our path towards 
solving our racial troubles. Even the founders of the NAACP offer an 
important lesson on how such a diverse group can accomplish so much. 
The men and women--black and white, from different backgrounds and from 
different careers and from different religions--these people came 
together to create a force for good.
  I want to thank the NAACP for 100 years of hard work. God bless your 
president and his family as he leads us into the next century of 
fighting for human and civil rights. We congratulate you on this 
historic day.
  I'm a proud lifelong member of the NAACP, and today I join my 
colleagues in celebrating its 100th anniversary.
  I am especially proud of my local Monterey County Branch of the 
NAACP, where our chapter was created in 1932. My chapter ranks as one 
of the largest per capita branches in the United States and has been 
active in education and law--and we're all better for it.
  The Fort Ord Army training base in Seaside, Calif., was the first 
military base in the United States to be integrated in 1947. It was one 
of the largest bases in the United States to conduct training for 
Korea, Vietnam and many other conflicts. Now that base is closed, it's 
site is home to the newest campus of the California State University 
system--due in part to the fine work of the NAACP.
  And our chapter's proudest member is Ben Jealous, now the youngest--
and in my opinion the most dynamic--national president of the NAACP.
  As we recognize the great achievements of one of America's best 
organizations, let us not

[[Page 3490]]

forget that the struggle continues. We still have discrimination in our 
communities, in our schools and in the workplace. It's a struggle that 
requires continuing education and legal action.
  Luckily, we have the rich history of the NAACP that offers us so many 
examples of how to proceed. One of the best is the group of individuals 
who founded the group. It shows us how such a diverse group can 
accomplish so much.
  Along with a life of activism, W. E. B. Du Bois was a noted professor 
and writer. Archibald Grimke, the son of a slave owner and slave, was a 
journalist and lawyer. Henry Moskowitz was a Jewish physician. Mary 
White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard spent their lives writing. 
William English Walling, born into a former slaveholding family, once 
served as a factory inspector. And Ida B. Wells was also a noted 
women's rights activist.
  America is the country where dreams come true. Certainly the world 
has seen such with the election of Barack Obama. But the work will 
never end until peace and justice are available to everyone.
  I want to thank the NAACP for 100 years of hard work. You've made 
America a stronger and better nation.
  And your work continues. God bless your president, Ben Jealous, as he 
leads us into the next century of fighting for human and civil rights. 
We congratulate you on this historic day.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 4 minutes to the 
honorable gentleman from the great State of Virginia, Mr. Bobby Scott, 
who is also the Chair of the Crime Subcommittee of the Judiciary 
Committee.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to recognize the 
NAACP on its 100th anniversary. The NAACP holds a very special meaning 
to me because I have been a long-time active member of the group. I 
have had the honor of being Virginia's first individual Golden Heritage 
Life Member and Virginia's first Diamond Life Member, the 
organization's highest individual membership level. In addition, I have 
had the honor of serving as president of the Newport News, Virginia 
branch of the NAACP.
  The NAACP is an organization that has made a difference from the very 
beginning. In 1909, 60 prominent Americans, including Ida B. Wells-
Barnett and W.E.B. Du Bois, met on the occasion of the 100th 
anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln to discuss racial violence 
and social justice. Out of that meeting, the NAACP was born with the 
goal of securing rights, liberties and protections for all Americans as 
guaranteed by the Constitution.
  Since its inception, the NAACP has worked tirelessly to continuing 
looking for ways to improve the democratic process and by seeking the 
enactment and the enforcement of Federal, State and local laws that 
secure civil rights. The NAACP furthers its mission by making the 
public aware of adverse effects of racial discrimination and by seeking 
its elimination. The NAACP also seeks to educate the public about their 
constitutional rights, and it goes to court to enforce those rights 
when necessary.
  The NAACP has a long and impressive history of activism. It has 
contributed greatly to shaping America as we know it today. One of its 
first legislative initiatives was anti-lynching legislation in the 
early 1990s. In the 1940s, the NAACP was influential in President 
Roosevelt's decision to issue an executive order prohibiting 
discrimination in contracts with the Department of Defense. The NAACP 
was very instrumental in President Truman's decision to issue an 
executive order ending all discrimination in the military. In 1946, the 
NAACP won the Morgan v. Virginia case where the Supreme Court banned 
States from having segregated facilities on buses and trains that 
crossed State borders. In 1948, the NAACP pressured President Truman 
into signing an executive order banning all discrimination in the Armed 
Forces. In 1954, the NAACP won its landmark case of Brown v. Board of 
Education, declaring separate but equal unconstitutional.
  The NAACP is what the late Bishop Stephen Gill Spotswood, the former 
national board chairman, has called ``the oldest, largest, most 
effective, most consulted, most militant, most feared, and most loved 
of all civil rights organizations in the world.'' Bishop Spotswood's 
statement remains true today.
  Even in the 21st century, the NAACP continues to be a strong advocate 
for fairness and equality. Recently, the NAACP was deeply involved in 
protesting the Jena 6 controversy where the efforts of the NAACP and 
others provided justice for the students in that case. The NAACP 
continues their work on eliminating racial injustice. It continues to 
act as a watchdog to protect the civil rights of all people, and it 
educates the public about civil rights so that future generations will 
know that tolerance and equality are the norm rather than the 
exception.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the NAACP and its people on 100 years of 
service to our great country, and I wish them another successful 
century of service.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas has 13 minutes 
remaining. The gentleman from Georgia has 4\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I will yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Illinois, the honorable Danny Davis.

                              {time}  1800

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman 
from Georgia for yielding, and I also want to commend the gentleman 
from Texas, Representative Green, for his introduction of this 
resolution.
  I rise to be in agreement with all of those who have edified the 
examples of tremendous leadership provided by the NAACP.
  On a personal note, though, I want to commend my wife, Vera, who is 
the chairman of our local Westside Branch NAACP, and Mr. Karl Brinson, 
who is the president. They do outstanding work and have continued to do 
so. I also want to commend Hilary Shelton for the tremendous job that 
he has done over the years keeping us informed.
  And so I commend the NAACP on its 100th anniversary.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 1 minute at this 
time to the honorable gentleman from the State of Virginia, Mr. Tom 
Perriello.
  Mr. PERRIELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th 
anniversary of the NAACP as it celebrates its centennial.
  Since its founding in 1909, the NAACP has been a tireless crusader 
against racial discrimination, and it has continuously called our great 
Nation towards an ever-expanding horizon of liberty and justice for 
all.
  Often with support and protection from the NAACP, countless brave 
citizens of my district joined the great American struggle for civil 
rights. From slavery and segregation, through massive resistance and 
Bloody Monday marches, our area has passed through dark nights always 
to emerge at the dawn of a new era of equality.
  I thank the NAACP, its staff, and its members for remaining true to 
our Nation's highest ideals. As it embarks on its second century with 
new leadership and a renewed commitment to human rights, I congratulate 
the NAACP on this landmark year in its history and extend our deep 
appreciation for victories won and those that remain before us.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, we have no additional speakers 
at this time, and if the gentleman yields back the balance of his time, 
I will do the same.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my good friend 
and fellow judge from Texas (Mr. Green) for introducing this 
legislation, an individual I've known for now over 30 years and have 
been through a lot together back in the State of Texas and proud to see 
that he has introduced this legislation.

[[Page 3491]]

  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to commend 
Congressman Green for his efforts in introducing this legislation, and 
I look forward to its passage.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this historic year marks both the 
inauguration of this country's first African-American president, Barack 
Obama, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People's (N.A.A.C.P.) 100th anniversary. February 12, 1909 was chosen 
as the founding date of the N.A.A.C.P. to commemorate President Abraham 
Lincoln's 100th birthday, with the hopes of realizing his vision of a 
unified nation overcoming racial and ethnic hatred and discrimination.
  The following decades have seen the emergence of new challenges along 
America's journey towards equality. Yet the N.A.A.C.P. has persisted 
and has overcome these obstacles. It currently bears witness to 
numerous advancements that may have never taken place had it not been 
for the collective will of the many N.A.A.C.P. members who were willing 
to fight for what they believed was right.
  Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this country would be 
if it never fought for African-Americans to have increased access to 
the ballot box.
  Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this country would be 
if it never fought against discrimination--from schooling to housing, 
and from marriage to employment. After all, the NAACP's Legal 
department, headed by Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall, 
undertook a campaign spanning several decades to bring about the 
reversal of the ``separate but equal'' doctrine enshrined in the 
Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson.
  Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this great country 
would be if it were not for the courageous men and women who risked 
their lives and livelihoods in order to promote the rights of everyone, 
regardless of the color of their skin.
  In fact, it is hard to imagine such an America without the N.A.A.C.P. 
My life and the life of this nation would be much different if it were 
not for the organization's efforts to tear down the barriers of racial 
discrimination and hatred. The N.A.A.C.P.'s work, however, is not yet 
finished. If the last century is any indication though, as long as 
there is an N.A.A.C.P., all Americans will continue to have a powerful 
advocate for fairness, equality, and justice.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. 
Con. Res 35 ``Honoring and praising the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 100th 
anniversary.''
  Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res 35 recognizes the 100th anniversary of the 
historic founding of the National Association for the Advancement of 
Colored People (NAACP) and honors and praises the National Association 
for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 
anniversary for its work to ensure the political, educational, social, 
and economic equality of all persons. I urge my colleagues to join me 
in supporting H. Con. Res 35 because of the impact that the NAACP has 
had on me and other minorities across this great nation.
  First organized in 1905, the group came to be known as the Niagara 
Movement when it began meeting at hotel situated on the Canadian side 
of the Niagara Falls. The group first met in Canada because the U.S. 
hotels were segregated. Under the leadership of Harvard scholar W.E.B. 
DuBois, the group later went on to become known as the National Negro 
Committee. It was not the date of the organization's second conference 
in 1910 that it formally adopted the name the National Association for 
the Advancement of Colored People.
  The mission of the association was clearly delineated in its charter:
  To promote equality of rights and to eradicate caste or race 
prejudice among the citizens of the United States; to advance the 
interest of colored citizens; to secure for them impartial suffrage; 
and to increase their opportunities for securing justice in the courts, 
education for the children, employment according to their ability and 
complete equality before law.
  Since its inception, the National Association for the Advancement of 
Colored People (NAACP) has upheld its mission to fight social injustice 
and give a voice to the voiceless. The NAACP is among the largest and 
most prominent mass-membership, civil rights organizations in America.
  Founded with a mandate to secure equal political, economic and social 
rights for African Americans, the NAACP has been in the forefront of 
every major civil rights struggle of the twentieth century. Using a 
combination of tactics including legal challenges, demonstrations and 
economic boycotts, the NAACP played an important role in helping end 
segregation in the United States.
  The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., (NAACP LDF) a 
leading civil rights organization based in New York City, began as the 
legal wing of the NAACP under the leadership of Charles Hamilton 
Houston, a former professor at Howard University Law School. In 1938, 
Thurgood Marshall, Houston's student and future Supreme Court justice, 
succeeded him as NAACP LDF counsel.
  Marshall further developed the strategies and goals of the legal 
department, establishing the Legal Defense Fund as an organization 
totally independent of the NAACP.
  Among its most significant achievements was the NAACP LDF's challenge 
to end segregation in public schools. In the landmark Supreme Court 
case Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Justices unanimously ruled 
that separate educational facilities for black and white students were 
``inherently unequal.'' That ruling and the Court's subsequent order 
that public schools be desegregated with ``all deliberate speed'' 
touched off a firestorm of protest in the South and contributed 
substantially to the growth of the modern-day civil rights movement. 
Today, the NAACP has over 500,000 members standing in unity with all 
who support protecting our constitutionally guaranteed civil rights 
against all who would oppose protecting these freedoms.
  Even in my district in Houston, the NAACP seeks to be a voice against 
injustice for all minorities. The NAACP Houston Branch has a long and 
rich history championing civil rights in Houston on vital issues such 
as the desegregation of Houston schools, combating the spread of HIV/
AIDS, and improved access to education and information technology.
  The NAACP Houston Branch has played an instrumental role in breaking 
new ground on the path to freedom and equality for Houston's minority 
community. The branch has been experiencing tremendous growth in recent 
years while serving the Harris County area through its programs and 
myriad committees made up of its dedicated staff and volunteer members. 
Led by an Executive Committee of approximately 25 volunteers, there are 
approximately 800 members in the Houston Branch.
  Some of the Houston Branch's programs include collaborations with the 
City of Houston Health Department in STD prevention and awareness 
programs, legal assistance in the form of legal consultation and 
educational seminars, a year-long enrichment program designed to 
recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural 
achievement among African American high school students, and other 
programs beneficial to minorities across the city of Houston.
  As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I truly appreciate the 
support from the NAACP in fighting for the reauthorization of the 
Voting Rights Act. We all know that without the reauthorization of the 
Voting Rights Act, the voting rights of many U.S. citizens would be in 
jeopardy. When I authored H.R. 745 in the 110th Congress, I am proud to 
say that with the NAACP's support, my colleagues and I were able to 
rename the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Cesar E. Chavez, Barbara C. 
Jordan, William C. Velasquez, and Dr. Hector P. Garcia Voting Rights 
Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. This bill renamed the 
Voting Rights Act to demonstrate the many faces of the Civil Rights 
Movement. The bill was renamed to recognize the Hispanics and other 
persons of color who labored in the vineyards to insure that all 
receive equal treatment in the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res 35 provides for a tribute to celebrate the 
impact and achievements of the National Association for the Advancement 
of Colored People in their efforts to better the lives of minorities 
and the community. There is still a need for justice and equal 
treatment for minorities in our country. I am grateful for the many 
fights for equality that he organization has won, and thankful that the 
NAACP will be there in the future to champion the cause of justice 
wherever and whenever it needs a spokesman.
  The struggles of the NACCP have helped pave the way for the election 
this country's first African-American President Barack Obama. During a 
speech celebrating the NAACP, President Obama declared that ``serving 
as . . . [P]resident, 100 years after the founding of the NAACP, I will 
stand up for you the same way that earlier generations of Americans 
stood up for me--by fighting to ensure that every single one of us has 
the chance to make it if we try.''
  I thank my colleague, Representative Al Green, of Texas, for 
introducing this important legislation, to ensure that we celebrate, 
treasure and recognize the African American spiritual as a national 
treasure and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
resolution.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
honor the National

[[Page 3492]]

Association for the Advancement of Colored People on its 100th 
Anniversary. In 1909 the founders of the NAACP came together with the 
purpose of promoting the rights guaranteed under the 13th, 14th, and 
15th Amendments to the Constitution.
  Today, the NAACP works to ensure that all individuals have equal 
rights and to end racial hatred and discrimination. The NAACP has 
influenced some of the greatest civil rights victories of the last 
century, including: the integration of our nation's schools and the 
Brown v. Board decision; the Voting Rights Act; striking down 
segregation; and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act.
  It is particularly notable that this year's 100th anniversary also 
marks the first time in the history of the United States that we have 
an African-American President. The NAACP helped pave the way for this 
landmark achievement, and continues to lay the groundwork for future 
accomplishments in minority communities.
  Despite the advancements of the past 100 years under the leadership 
of the NAACP, there is still much work to be done. The NAACP continues 
to promote new ideas and leadership in the fields of educational and 
employment opportunities, ending health care disparities, and economic 
empowerment.
  The NAACP instilled in America a sense of consciousness, and it 
continues to do so today. I commend the NAACP on this anniversary and 
the thousands of individuals who continue to fight for equality and 
justice.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this historic year marks both the 
inauguration of this country's first African-American president, Barack 
Obama, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People's (N.A.A.C.P.) 100th anniversary. February 12, 1909 was chosen 
as the founding date of the N.A.A.C.P. to commemorate President Abraham 
Lincoln's 100th birthday, with the hopes of realizing his vision of a 
unified nation overcoming racial and ethnic hatred and discrimination.
  The following decades have seen the emergence of new challenges along 
America's journey towards equality. Yet the N.A.A.C.P. has persisted 
and has overcome these obstacles. It currently bears witness to 
numerous advancements that may have never taken place had it not been 
for the collective will of the many N.A.A.C.P. members who were willing 
to fight for what they believed was right.
  Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this country would be 
if it never fought for African-Americans to have increased access to 
the ballot box.
  Without the N.A.A.C.P., it is hard to say where this country would be 
if it never fought against discrimination--from schooling to housing, 
and from marriage to employment. After all, the NAACP's Legal 
department, headed by Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall, 
undertook a campaign spanning several decades to bring about the 
reversal of the ``separate but equal'' doctrine enshrined in the 
Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson.
  Without the N.A.A.C.P. and the courageous men and women who risked 
their lives and livelihoods in order to promote the rights of everyone, 
regardless of the color of their skin, it is hard to say where this 
great country would be.
  In fact, it is hard to imagine an America without the N.A.A.C.P. My 
life and the life of this nation would be much different if it were not 
for the organization's efforts to tear down the barriers of racial 
discrimination and hatred.
  The N.A.A.C.P.'s work, however, is not yet finished. If the last 
century is any indication though, as long as there is an N.A.A.C.P., 
all Americans will continue to have a powerful advocate for fairness, 
equality, and justice.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise and join all 
Americans of good will in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 
NAACP.
  Others will recall that fate-filled day, February 12, 1909, when 60 
prominent Americans, black and white alike, issued ``The Call'' for a 
national conference to renew ``the struggle for civil and political 
liberty.'' They also will reflect upon how, back in 1909, this country 
was unfair to people of color and, especially for African American men, 
a very dangerous place.
  The organization's founders, however, were people of deep integrity. 
They created an organization dedicated to achieving social justice, 
ending racial violence, abolishing forced segregation and promoting 
equal opportunity and other civil rights under the protection of law.
  My gratitude to the NAACP is personal, as well as philosophical. The 
NAACP--and the movement that its founders created 100 years ago today--
transformed my life.
  I shall never forget how Juanita Jackson Mitchell and the Baltimore 
Branch of the NAACP stood up for us as we marched to integrate South 
Baltimore's Riverside Swimming Pool. It was then that I realized, for 
the first time in my young life, that I had rights that other people 
had to respect.
  Nor shall I forget how a young Thurgood Marshall (who once lived just 
blocks from where I live today) convinced a Baltimore judge to 
integrate the University of Maryland School of Law. My law degree and 
all that I have been able to accomplish in my professional and public 
life are living testaments to the value of that achievement.
  Moreover, as long as I shall live and be privileged to serve the 
people of Maryland's 7th Congressional District, I shall remember that 
our community--that also gave America former Congressmen Parren J. 
Mitchell and Kweisi Mfume--now serves as the national home of the 
NAACP.
  So it is with deep appreciation and respect that I join millions of 
my countrymen and women in applauding the NAACP and pledging our 
continued support in the days and years ahead.
  I do so at a historic moment when we have come together to elect a 
gifted African American to the highest office in the land. Yet, even as 
we celebrate this victory of competence and conscience, America remains 
a dangerous and unfair place for far too many of our neighbors, 
whatever may be the color of their skin.
  Like W.E.B. DuBois and the other founders back in 1909, we, too, must 
answer the call. In our own time, we must continue the work of creating 
a better, more unified nation--an America that will truly assure 
liberty, justice and opportunity for all.
  We, too, have a legacy of justice and opportunity to create--for our 
children and for the generations of Americans yet to be born.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
celebrate and honor the 100th anniversary of the National Association 
for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP. Today, February 12, 2009, 
marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the NAACP and the 200th 
anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. For a Nation that is less 
than 250 years old, the centennial of the NAACP is a major milestone.
  I shudder to imagine what this country would look like if our history 
did not include the stories and struggles of people like Frederick 
Douglass, Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., our own 
Representative John Lewis, and many countless others who have fought 
and continue to fight for equal rights and equal opportunity.
  The NAACP's roots date back to the ``Niagra Movement'' of 1905 when 
thirty-two prominent African Americans met to organize and call for the 
end of racial inequality. A forceful agent for change, the NAACP was 
the leading party behind many accomplishments of the Civil Rights 
Movement, including the landmark case Brown v. the Board of Education 
which ended racial segregation in our schools.
  The Niagra and Civil Rights Movements were not the first calls for 
freedom and equality in our nation's history and will not be the last. 
But their success provided a blueprint for future generations to 
follow, an example of hope to all those who seek to secure the basic 
freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution.
  Today, the NAACP continues to cement its reputation as a trailblazer 
for basic civil and human rights. Led by its young new president, 
Benjamin Jealous, the NAACP has refocused its objectives on resolving 
wide disparities in access to jobs and healthcare among Americans. 
During the next 100 years, I have no doubt that the NAACP will lead 
many more breakthroughs in civil and human rights.
  This anniversary gives all Americans an opportunity to recognize and 
learn about African-American history, which is also the history of the 
United States. I am proud to do my part to promote and honor the 
contributions made by the NAACP and the African American community to 
our great Nation.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a co-sponsor and strong 
supporter of H. Con. Res. 35, a resolution to recognize the 100th 
anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People (NAACP) and acknowledge the numerous contributions of the NAACP 
in helping create a more just and equitable society.
  The NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the 
United States. For the past 100 years, the association has fought 
actively and fervently for equal justice for all Americans under the 
idea that all men and women are created equal.
  In February 1909, a handful of courageous and fearless citizens--
including Ida Wells Barnett, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison 
Villiard, William English Walling, Henry Moscowitz and W.E.B. Du Bois--
formed the

[[Page 3493]]

National Negro Committee with the intent of addressing the social, 
economic and political rights of African-Americans. This organization 
would later become the NAACP, and for the next century would dedicate 
itself to eliminating racial hatred and ending racial discrimination.
  The NAACP has accomplished and will continue to accomplish great 
things for our nation. In 1954, the NAACP achieved one of its greatest 
victories in the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case when the 
Supreme Court overturned segregation in the nation's public schools. 
This decision rendered ``separate but unequal'' unconstitutional. More 
importantly it helped to break down the barriers that divided the 
nation.
  Through nonviolent methods such as protests, marches and media 
outreach the NAACP was instrumental in moving President Truman's 
Executive Order banning discrimination in the armed forces. The NAACP 
also played an active role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
  The NAACP continues to fight for the rights of Americans confined to 
the corners of our society. The NAACP maintains active branches 
nationwide, including one in the 12th District of New Jersey, located 
in Trenton. I am grateful to the NAACP members who live in my 
Congressional District including Edith Savage-Jennings, a pioneer of 
the civil rights movement. The work they do to continue to advance the 
struggle for civil rights in our country is an inspiration to us all.
  The NAACP gracefully and tirelessly has fought for the political, 
social, economic, and educational rights of all Americans, and has 
sought to ensure that our nation recognized the inalienable rights of 
all citizens, regardless of race, class, or ethnicity. They have paved 
the way for some of our most celebrated leaders like my good friend 
John Lewis and President Barack Obama to accomplish what they have. 
Moving forward the NAACP will shift its focus to ensure the attainment 
of human rights for all; a noble, honorable and needed effort. The 
enormity of the NAACP's contributions these past 100 years is 
immeasurable, and I am certain that the next 100 years will produce 
more accomplishments and milestones for this historic and vital 
organization. I am proud to join with my colleagues in supporting this 
resolution.
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise with respect and admiration to 
honor the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 
(NAACP) on the occasion of it's 100th anniversary, and support H. Con. 
Res. 35. The struggle for racial equality has been and continues to be 
one of the greatest testaments of America's progress throughout its 
history. The NAACP was founded February 12, 1909 to ensure that the 
voices of all people of color are heard. The NAACP has a strong legacy 
of pioneers such as W.E.B. DuBois, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Mary 
McLeod Bethune, Mary White Ovington, Joel Elias Spingarn and Roy 
Wilkins, along with the countless others of diverse ethnicities who 
have worked tirelessly to fulfill the NAACP's mission. Through tireless 
work and often great personal sacrifice, the members and leadership of 
the NAACP have fought for justice, to ensure political, educational, 
social and economic rights for all peoples. While there is still 
significant work to be done, these efforts have helped to mold the 
America we have today.
  I am proud to be a cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 35, and I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting it.
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 35, 
honoring the contributions of the National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, and specifically to pay tribute 
to the Fort Wayne/Allen County Branch that serves the citizens of 
northeast Indiana.
  As we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP, it is important 
to take time to look back on its accomplishments. Throughout its 
history the NAACP has advanced the cause of civil rights and stirred 
the conscience of our nation. Mr. Speaker, whether it was standing side 
by side with Rosa Parks, helping to outlaw the evil practice of 
lynching, or helping victims of Hurricane Katrina get back on their 
feet, the NAACP has stood as a ``voice'' and a ``shield'' for minority 
Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, from its humble beginnings in a hotel room across from 
Niagara Falls, to its current operations across the country, the NAACP 
has grown with our nation. Over the years, it has stayed true to its 
mission of eliminating racial hatred and racial discrimination.
  In northeastern Indiana the NAACP, under the new leadership of the 
Reverend Bill McGill, has dedicated itself to improving the lives of 
local minority youth. Mr. Speaker, in these difficult economic times 
the NAACP helps provide these youth with the opportunity they deserve 
and ensures the promise of our nation extends to all our citizens.
  This past January I was pleased to host members of the local branch 
of the NAACP for the Presidential inauguration, and I was once again 
struck by their commitment to solving the problems facing our nation. 
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 35 and urge my 
colleagues to join me in praising the work of the NAACP and its members 
in northeast Indiana.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 100th 
Anniversary of the NAACP, which was founded on February 12th, 1909. For 
the past century, the NAACP has served as the driving force behind the 
American civil rights movement, as its founders, leaders and members 
risked everything to tear down the walls of ignorance and racism, 
demanding freedom, empowerment, opportunity and justice for all.
   With a membership of a half-million strong, the NAACP membership 
represents communities across the country. The organization was formed 
partly in reaction to the unconscionable practice of lynching and also 
in response to the 1908 race riot in Springfield, Illinois. Horrified 
at the violence aimed at African Americans, a small group of concerned 
citizens met to discuss and find ways to address racial injustice and 
the NAACP was formed. Founding members included Mary White Ovington, 
Oswald Garrison Villard, Dr. Henry Moscovitz, Jane Addams and Charles 
Darrow. The stated goals included securing the rights of all people as 
guaranteed in the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments of the United States 
Constitution.
   The NAACP was the principle legal advocate for numerous 
groundbreaking civil rights advancements, including the 1930 anti-
lynching bill, the Dyer Bill, which passed the U.S. House of 
Representatives but not the U.S. Senate. Shortly thereafter, the NAACP 
published a report entitled, ``Thirty Years of Lynching in the United 
States,'' which drastically decreased the incidence of lynching after 
its release. The impact of the NAACP's support of the civil rights 
movement is evidenced in numerous landmark court decisions, most 
notably, in Brown v. Board of Education, wherein the brilliant 
attorney, Thurgood Marshall, who later served as the NAACP's Chief 
Counsel and also as a United States Supreme Court Justice, argued his 
case against school segregation, and won.
   Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition 
of the members, past and present, of the NAACP, as they celebrate 100 
years of service and sacrifice focused on protecting the rights of 
minority citizens, thereby raising our nation upon a platform where 
human rights and civil rights are protected for all.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as we recognize February as Black 
History Month, I wish to take a moment to celebrate the NAACP on the 
occasion of its 100th anniversary. Over the past century, the National 
Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, has played 
a vital role in the progress of the African American community. This 
organization has advocated faithfully for decreasing racial disparities 
in the areas of healthcare, education, employment, criminal justice, 
and poverty.
  The NAACP is the Nation's largest and oldest civil rights 
organization. Through grass root efforts, the organization has 
influenced policy from the homes and communities of citizens to the 
voting booths and the classrooms around America. The NAACP has involved 
many, from children and ordinary citizens, to our Nation's elected 
officials and Presidents. The dedication of the NAACP and its fight for 
social justice has involved great leadership.
  The NAACP has played a significant role in many civil rights 
victories. Its persistent protests and steadfast support for anti-
lynching legislation was critical to making this horrible practice 
illegal. Similarly, its members championed the Voting Rights Act of 
1965 that guaranteed that no person could be denied the right to vote 
because of his or her race. It also has served as a strong watchdog to 
uphold the spirit and letter of these laws at the State and local 
levels. Clearly, the NAACP's involvement politically has contributed to 
the progress of America by saving lives and empowering minority 
communities.
  Ida B. Wells, a prominent civil rights activist and resident of 
Illinois, was the co-founder of the NAACP. Wells is most known for her 
journalism. Her writing received the interest of both blacks and 
whites. After being banned from the South for speaking out about 
lynching and the government's refusal to stop the violence, Ms. Wells 
moved to Chicago. While in Chicago, she married Ferdinand Barnett and 
together they had four children. Her nickname, ``the Constant Star'' 
provides a testament to her relentless fight for social justice and 
equality. The NAACP has embodied her

[[Page 3494]]

nickname by remaining constant in its efforts in promoting equality for 
all.
  The NAACP has grown considerably since its inception. Today, the 
NAACP has over 500,000 members with more than 1,300 national and 
international branches, and over 45 branches in the State of Illinois.
  Recently, three students from the Chicago Westside Branch, located in 
the Seventh Congressional District, won at the 2008 National ACT-SO 
competition. The ACT-SO program, founded by the NAACP, is a year-long 
program that is used to enrich African American high school students' 
lives by encouraging high academic and cultural achievement. This 
program allows students to compete in various areas ranging from the 
sciences to visual and performing arts. Thus, I would like to recognize 
Terrence George, Eric Clark, and Aeriel Robinson for their brilliance 
and hard work.
  I commend the NAACP on its commitment to the African American 
community and its political, economic, social, and educational efforts 
in promoting social change. I tip my hat to the first centennial 
anniversary and look forward to its second.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National 
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for providing 
100 years of legal advocacy and justice for all Americans.
  One hundred years ago today a coalition of activists, scholars, and 
intellectuals of various shades gathered together to challenge our 
United States to live up to the words of the Constitution for all 
Americans. This founding group was diverse in ethnicity but united in 
their thirst for equality.
  The catalyst behind the group's formation was the 1908 racial attacks 
against Blacks in Springfield, Illinois, the state capital and the 
birthplace of President Abraham Lincoln. Disheartened by the violence, 
which took the lives of two Blacks and five accidental Whites; the 
group formally organized on February 12, 1909, the birthday of 
President Lincoln.
  A year later, the national office of the NAACP was opened in New York 
City. W.E.B DuBois founding publisher of The Crisis, the organization's 
official publication, was instrumental in attracting distinguished 
African-American literary figures who became the voice of the Harlem 
Renaissance. The iconic scholar also became the intellectual leader and 
voice of the NAACP, where he took a strong position in demanding full 
integration for his people over Booker T. Washington's policy of 
accommodation.
  Due to the rabid racism of the day, the organization grew quickly and 
reached the peak of its membership during the civil rights struggles of 
the 1950's and 1960's. Rosa Parks, secretary of the NAACP chapter in 
Montgomery, Alabama, triggered the famous boycott of the bus system by 
refusing to give up her seat.
  The NAACP's greatest achievements were in the courtroom, where it 
challenged many of the laws that enshrined segregation. One of the best 
known cases was Brown vs. Board of Education, which in 1954 challenged 
the ``separate but equal'' doctrine that was the bulwark of the 
nation's segregationist policies. Thurgood Marshall, special counsel to 
the NAACP, led legal arguments before the Supreme Court in that case, 
as well as many other laws that promoted segregation. Marshall would go 
on to become the first African-American Justice on the Supreme Court.
  The NAACP fought against lynchings, Jim Crow laws, and otherwise 
challenged the system of laws which denied full citizenship for Blacks. 
The election of President Barack Obama represents a culmination of the 
NAACP's efforts over the years, particularly in gaining full voting 
rights for African-Americans.
  The work of the NAACP has not been without danger. Many NAACP members 
and staff have been victims of racial violence. Perhaps the best known, 
was the assassination of Medgar Evers, the NAACP field secretary in 
Mississippi, in 1962.
  The NAACP has many heroes across the country who have sacrificed in 
order to fulfill our nation's promise of democracy and freedom. Among 
the organization's heroes are my good friends, Hazel Dukes and Percy 
Sutton. Ms. Dukes participated in many NAACP marches and was arrested 
several times as a protester. She has also served as president of a New 
York chapter and national president of the organization. Percy Sutton, 
a long time member and former president of the NAACP, represented many 
civil rights workers, including Malcolm X. I salute them for their 
dedication to this organization.
  Ben Jealous, the new leader of the NAACP, has pointed out a new set 
of challenges to be addressed in the years ahead. Among them are racial 
injustices in the criminal justice system, improving educational 
resources, and removing any remaining obstacles to economic 
development. The challenges may be different from those addressed 
during the first 100 years, but they are no less important.
  Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you and my colleagues in joining me in 
honoring the NAACP for 100 years of distinguished service to our 
country.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. 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. Johnson) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Con. Res. 35.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the 
ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a 
quorum is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________