[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 170]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO MARIE LOUISE ANDERSON GREENWOOD

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                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 13, 2010

  Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary 
life and exceptional accomplishments of Mrs. Marie Louise Anderson 
Greenwood. On January 15, 2010, Mrs. Greenwood will be honored by the 
Denver business community at the 25th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Business Social Responsibility Awards where she will receive the 
``Trailblazer Award'' in recognition of her tireless commitment to 
education, community and moving beyond racial barriers.
  She was born in Los Angeles, California on November 24, 1912, the 
only daughter of Joseph and Sarah Anderson. In search for better 
opportunities, her family moved to Denver, Colorado, where Marie 
attended Denver West High School. Marie graduated third in her class in 
1931 and received an honorary four-year state scholarship which she 
used to attend the Colorado Teachers College, now The University of 
Northern Colorado. As an African American student, Marie faced racism 
and was prevented from living on campus or joining student 
organizations. However, she sought membership in the Alpha Kappa 
chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the first national sorority 
founded for college educated African American women, and solidified her 
commitment to education.
  Marie excelled at the Colorado Teachers College. She was recruited to 
teach in Denver Public Schools in 1934, a year before she was slated to 
graduate. Despite the opportunity to be the first African-American 
teacher in Denver Public Schools, Marie chose instead to finish her 
studies and graduate with the class of 1935. With a Bachelor of Arts 
degree in Elementary Education in hand, Marie was hired as the first to 
receive a probationary contract as a first grade teacher in the school 
system. In 1938, she accepted the offer of permanent tenure at Whittier 
Elementary School as the first teacher of color in the Denver Public 
Schools.
  Marie continued to teach first grade at Whittier Elementary School 
until 1945 when she took a leave of absence to raise her four children: 
Louise, Richard, William Jr. and James. As her family moved to a new 
home in 1950 near the Newlon School, the Greenwoods initiated the 
integration of the neighborhood. Their children became the first 
African Americans to attend Newlon and Marie and William R. Greenwood, 
Marie's husband, created the framework at that school for what we now 
know as a Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Marie organized a preschool 
program and became the first PTA president. In 1953, she returned to 
teaching as a primary grade substitute teacher with the desire to teach 
full-time at the Newlon school.
  In 1955, in spite of the administration's alleged discrimination 
against minority teachers and their practice of assigning African 
American teachers only to schools in the then predominantly African 
American neighborhood of Northeast Denver, Marie obtained a regular 
teaching position at Newlon School. This was due, in part, to the PTA 
mothers who recognized Marie's proficiency as a teacher and advocated 
on her behalf. Her keen ability to relate to both students and 
teachers, along with her belief that every child can learn, earned her 
recognition as one of the best teachers in the Denver Public Schools. 
Marie retired from teaching in 1974, but completed her book ``Every 
Child Can Learn'', which looks back on her 30 years of experience and 
discusses the challenges she faced during that time.
  The Denver community is fortunate to have such a strong role model 
and leader in Marie Louise Anderson Greenwood. She continues helping 
children and promoting literacy through the ``Read Aloud'' program, 
which has adult volunteers reading books to young children both in 
Denver Public Schools and at Denver Public Libraries. She has 
maintained her dedication to the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority for more 
than 75 years. Marie is also still active in her church. At 97 years 
old, her exuberance and spirit are reflected in her active involvement 
in the liturgical dance ministry of Shorter AME Church of which she has 
been a member since 1927.
  Marie has been recognized by several organizations for her many years 
as an educator and overcoming prejudice throughout her career. She was 
honored in 1997 as a pioneer in her field by The University of Northern 
Colorado Alumni Association, where a teaching scholarship has been 
established in her name. In 2001, the Denver Public Schools even built 
a school and named it the Marie L. Greenwood K-8 school in her honor. 
Race relations in America have not improved as quickly as we would ever 
hope, but without pioneers like Marie Greenwood leading the way, 
barriers would never be broken and dreams would never become reality. 
In advance of our annual commemoration of the life and lessons of Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., please join me in paying tribute to Marie 
Louise Anderson Greenwood for her life's work as a distinguished 
educator, public servant and social trailblazer.

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