[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 7800-7802]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF CYNTHIA DeLORES TUCKER

  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1094) commemorating the life of the late Cynthia 
DeLores Tucker.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1094

       Whereas the late Cynthia DeLores Tucker dedicated her life 
     to eliminating racial barriers by championing civil rights 
     and rights of women in the United States;
       Whereas, having grown up in Philadelphia during the Great 
     Depression, C. DeLores Tucker overcame a childhood marked by 
     economic hardship and segregation;
       Whereas, having personally experienced the effects of 
     racism, C. DeLores Tucker first became active in the postwar 
     civil rights movement when she worked to register African-
     American voters during the 1950 Philadelphia mayoral 
     campaign;
       Whereas C. DeLores Tucker became active in local politics, 
     developed her skills as an accomplished fund raiser and 
     public speaker, and quickly became the first African-American 
     and first woman to serve on the Philadelphia Zoning Board;
       Whereas in 1965, in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, 
     C. DeLores Tucker participated in the White House Conference 
     on Civil Rights and marched from Selma to Montgomery with 
     Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in support of the 1965 
     Voting Rights Bill, which was later signed into law by 
     President Lyndon Johnson;
       Whereas in January 1971, while still primarily focused on 
     efforts to gain equality for all, C. DeLores Tucker was named 
     Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by then-
     Governor Milton Shapp, making her the first female African-
     American Secretary of a State in the Nation;
       Whereas, under the leadership of C. DeLores Tucker as 
     Secretary of the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania became one of the 
     first States to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, lower the 
     voting age from 21 to 18, and institute voter registration 
     through mail;
       Whereas, after leaving her position in Pennsylvania State 
     government, C. DeLores Tucker became the first African-
     American to serve as president of the National Federation of 
     Democratic Women;
       Whereas in 1984, C. DeLores Tucker founded the National 
     Political Congress of Black Women, now known as the National 
     Congress of Black Women, a non-profit organization dedicated 
     to the educational, political, economic, and cultural 
     development of African-American Women and their families;
       Whereas in 1983, C. DeLores Tucker founded the Philadelphia 
     Martin Luther King Jr. Association for Non-Violence and, in 
     1986, the Bethune-DuBois Institute, both of which are 
     dedicated to promoting the cultural and educational 
     development of African-American youth and young 
     professionals;
       Whereas C. DeLores Tucker served as a member of the Board 
     of Trustees of the NAACP and numerous other boards, including 
     the Points of Light Foundation and Delaware Valley College;
       Whereas, in the later phase of her life, C. DeLores Tucker 
     publicly criticized gangster rap music, arguing that such 
     music denigrated women and promoted violence and drug use;
       Whereas, as a student of history, C. DeLores Tucker led the 
     successful campaign to have a bust of the pioneering activist 
     and suffragist Sojourner Truth installed in the United States 
     Capitol, along with other suffragette leaders;
       Whereas C. DeLores Tucker received more than 400 honors and 
     awards during her lifetime, including the NAACP Thurgood 
     Marshall Award, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished 
     Service Award, and the Philadelphia Urban League Whitney 
     Young Award, and honorary Doctor of Law degrees from Morris 
     College and Villa Maria College; and
       Whereas the work of C. DeLores Tucker as crusader for civil 
     rights and rights of women, through grace, dignity, and 
     purpose has helped transform the perception of race and 
     gender in the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commemorates the life of the late Cynthia DeLores 
     Tucker;
       (2) salutes the lasting legacy of the achievements of C. 
     DeLores Tucker; and
       (3) encourages the continued pursuit of the vision of C. 
     DeLores Tucker to eliminate racial and gender prejudice from 
     all corners of our society.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. DEUTCH. 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 Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DEUTCH. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1094 commemorates the life of the late 
Cynthia DeLores Tucker. Cynthia DeLores Tucker dedicated her life to 
eliminating racial barriers by championing civil rights and the rights 
of women. In particular, Ms. Tucker realized that voting was the most 
important civil right denied to African Americans and the key to 
changing this country. She

[[Page 7801]]

spent her career in service to the principle that there could be no 
equality without equal access to the ballot box.
  Born October 4, 1927, the 10th of 11 children, she grew up in 
Philadelphia during the Great Depression, overcoming a childhood marked 
by economic hardship and segregation, to attend Temple University and 
later the University of Pennsylvania.
  In what would become the first step in her long career as a civil 
rights activist, Ms. Tucker worked to register African-American voters 
during the 1950 Philadelphia mayoral campaign. Shortly thereafter, she 
became active in local politics, serving as the first African American 
and first woman on the Philadelphia Zoning Board.
  Driven by her belief that no one should be denied the right to 
participate in our democracy, Ms. Tucker went on to participate in the 
White House Conference on Civil Rights and to march from Selma to 
Montgomery with Dr. King in support of the 1965 Voting Rights Bill.
  In 1971, Ms. Tucker was named Secretary of the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania by then-Governor Milton Shapp, making her the first female 
African American to hold this position in any State in the Nation. 
Under her leadership as Secretary of the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania 
became one the first States to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, to 
lower the voting age from 21 to 18, and to institute voter registration 
through the mail.
  After leaving her position in Pennsylvania State Government, Ms. 
Tucker continued to dedicate her time to public service and the 
promotion of civil rights through private organizations. She served as 
a member of the Board of Trustees of the NAACP, and on numerous other 
boards, including the Points of Light Foundation and Delaware Valley 
College.
  In 1984, Ms. Tucker co-founded the National Political Congress of 
Black Women, now known as the National Congress of Black Women, a 
nonprofit organization dedicated to the educational, political, 
economic and cultural development of African-American women and their 
families.
  Mr. Speaker, Cynthia DeLores Tucker was a crusader for civil rights 
and the rights of women. Through her dedication to voting rights and 
the civil rights movement, she helped transform the perception of race 
and gender in the United States.
  I'd like to commend my colleague, Diane Watson, for introducing this 
resolution. It is important that this Nation remember and honor the 
outstanding work of civil rights activists like Ms. Tucker.
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in the last House resolution that we just discussed, 
Peace Officers Memorial Day, H. Res. 1299, I also want to mention the 
fact that Deputy Sheriff Shane Thomas Detwiler of the Chambers County 
Sheriff's Department in Texas was killed in the line of duty on July 
13, 2009, and his cause of death was gunfire.
  In this resolution, H. Res. 1094, of course I support this 
resolution. And this resolution commemorates the life of the late 
Cynthia DeLores Tucker. Ms. Tucker dedicated her life to eliminating 
racial barriers and fighting for civil rights and the rights of women. 
In 1927 she was born in Philadelphia. Her dad was a minister. After 
overcoming financial hardship and segregation during the Great 
Depression, she attended Temple University and the University of 
Pennsylvania at the Wharton School.
  As part of the postwar civil rights movement, she worked to register 
African American voters in the 1950 Philadelphia mayor's race. She 
later became the first African American and the first woman to serve on 
the Philadelphia Zoning Board.
  Then in 1965 she marched from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama with Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., in support of the 1956 Voting Rights Act.
  In 1971 she became Secretary of the State of Pennsylvania, making her 
the first female African American Secretary of State in the whole 
United States.
  In 1984, Ms. Tucker founded the National Political Congress of Black 
Women, today known as the National Congress of Black Women; and with 
the help of this organization, she criticized the promotion of drugs 
and violence in gangsta rap music, and also how women were treated in 
the music industry.
  She was also the founding member of the National Women's Political 
Caucus, and she was head of the minority caucus of the Democratic 
National Committee. Her life's work on behalf of racial and gender 
equality truly reaped fruitful change in our country.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution. I 
commend the sponsor of this resolution, Diane Watson from California.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 
support of H. Res. 1094 to commemorate the life of the late Cynthia 
DeLores Tucker, a civil rights activist and the first female, African-
American Secretary of State of any of our fifty states.
  C. DeLores Tucker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1927 as 
the tenth of thirteen children. She grew up during the Great 
Depression, and during this period she faced large amounts of racism 
and economic hardship. She would later attend Temple University and the 
University of Pennsylvania, and in 1951 she married her husband, Bill 
Tucker.
  In 1950, Ms. Tucker became active in the civil rights movement and 
local politics when she registered African-American voters for the 
Philadelphia mayoral campaign. She would later go on to run for public 
office herself and was elected to the Philadelphia Zoning Board where 
she became the first African-American and the first woman to serve in 
this position. Later, in 1971, she was named Secretary of the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania making her the first female, African-
American secretary of a state in the nation.
  The rights of African Americans and the rights of women were never 
far from Mrs. Tucker's thoughts. In 1965, she participated in the White 
House Conference on Civil Rights, and she marched with Rev. Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr., from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama in support 
of the 1965 Voting Rights Bill. She also founded the National Congress 
of Black Women in order to aid in the educational, political, economic, 
and cultural development of African-American women and their families.
  Mr. Speaker, America lost a great soul and noble spirit with the 
passing of Cynthia DeLores Tucker. I ask my fellow colleagues to join 
me today in honoring her legacy by supporting this resolution. Truly, 
she will be missed.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 
1094: ``Commemorating the life of the late Cynthia DeLores Tucker.''
  Although it has been almost five years since the world lost a true 
pioneer and leader, but the legacy of C. DeLores Tucker endures. 
October 13, 2005 did not mark a tragedy; rather, it marked a day of 
celebration as to the achievements and legacy of a paragon of the woman 
leader. It is an honor for me to stand here today to celebrate the 
passing on of Dr. C. DeLores Tucker to her rightful place among other 
angels and saints.
  Dr. Tucker represented a major segment of African American and 
political history in the U.S. She was among the many women stalwarts of 
our lifetime that led on so many different issues. The key aspect about 
Dr. Tucker's efforts was that they were not for personal gain. I would 
compare her to an eagle that spread its wings to help other women--not 
only African Americans, but all women. She provided the wind and 
momentum for other women to ascend to equality and a better quality of 
life.
  Given the long fight that our dear DeLores and I endeavored together 
in the Halls of Congress, I ask your short indulgence as I cite an 
excerpt from the words spoken by a similar pioneer, Madame Sojourner 
Truth, in her ``Ain't I a Woman?'' speech delivered at a women's rights 
convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851:

       That man over there says that women need to be helped into 
     carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best 
     place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or 
     over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a 
     woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and 
     planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! 
     And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as 
     a man--when I could get it--and bear the lash as well! And 
     ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen 
     most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my 
     mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman? 
     . . .

[[Page 7802]]

       If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, 
     wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half 
     measure full?
       Then that little man in black there, he says women can't 
     have as much rights as men, `cause Christ wasn't a woman! 
     Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come 
     from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. 
     If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn 
     the world upside down all alone, these women together ought 
     to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! 
     And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.
       Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't 
     got nothing more to say.

  Dr. Tucker did just this--she fought until the fight was made, she 
spoke until ``she ain't [had] nothing more to say.'' For women's 
rights, civil rights, the disenfranchised, or the underrepresented, she 
stood up like a warrior and a leader, and the progress she made will be 
enjoyed by many for as long as man exists. As author Ron Daniels said 
in his opinion piece in the Madison Times, DeLores was not afraid to 
denounce gang violence, fratricide, or the denigration of women in rap 
lyrics; not afraid to implore our children to devote less time to 
athletics and more to academics; and staunchly advocated excellence in 
education, improved parenting skills, and the harnessing of our 
economic resources as a distinct market. It did not have to be sexy, 
popular, or self-promoting to be right for Dr. C. DeLores Tucker, and I 
had the privilege of standing next to her in the trenches of the fight 
for equality.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. C. DeLores Tucker was a close and valued friend for 
many years. Her crusade for women's and civil rights served not only as 
an inspiration to women, minorities, and other traditionally 
disadvantaged groups, but to all of society, and her lifelong service 
indeed worked for its betterment. From her devout involvement in the 
Democratic Party to her founding of the Philadelphia Martin Luther 
King, Jr., Association for Non-Violent Change, she embodied the 
tenacity and courage necessary to eradicate the disparities and bigotry 
that continues to constrain the attainment of equality.
  Of her many endearing qualities were the fact that her service was 
never for personal gain and that it was boundless--she never hesitated 
to travel the extra mile to help others. This was evident in her 
singular work as the lead advocate to urge the recognition and honor of 
abolitionist Sojourner Truth with the addition of her likeness to the 
statue commemorating women's suffrage in the rotunda of the United 
States Capitol. Bill, as you know, her determined, passionate, and 
powerful efforts have ultimately resulted in the honoring of Sojourner 
Truth. Our own DeLores was in her own right a guiding light of truth. 
The love and devotion that she displayed in this endeavor continue to 
inspire legislators and supporters.
  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1094, 
which honors the tremendous accomplishments of the late Cynthia Delores 
Tucker. Ms. Tucker dedicated her life to advancing the interests of 
women and minorities in the United States. Raised in Philadelphia 
during the Great Depression, Ms. Tucker overcame great hardships to 
become one of our Nation's leaders in both the Civil Rights Movement 
and the fight for women's rights. After a life full of achievements and 
milestones, Ms. Tucker passed away in 2005 at the age of 78. We owe our 
national gratitude to Ms. Tucker, an American hero who made the United 
States a more fair and tolerant country.
  I thank Chairman Conyers for his leadership in bringing this bill to 
the floor. I also thank the sponsor of this legislation, Congresswoman 
Watson, for her commitment to ensuring that the legacy of Cynthia 
Delores Tucker always shines as a beacon of social progress.
  Mr. Speaker, Ms. Tucker became politically active in 1950, when she 
worked to register African American voters during Philadelphia's 
mayoral campaign. She went on to play a central role in the Civil 
Rights Movement and marched with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
from Selma to Montgomery in support of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 
In January of 1971, Governor Milton Shapp appointed Ms. Tucker as 
Pennsylvania's secretary of state, making her the first African 
American female secretary of state in the country. While serving as 
secretary of state, Ms. Tucker was a leader in the successful effort to 
add an Equal Rights Amendment to Pennsylvania's State constitution, 
guaranteeing equal rights for women under State law. She also oversaw 
the lowering of the Pennsylvania voting age from 21 to 18 years old.
  In 1984, Ms. Tucker founded the National Political Congress of Black 
Women, an organization dedicated to supporting the interests and well-
being of African American women and their families. Ms. Tucker was also 
the first African American president of the National Federation of 
Democratic Women and founded the Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Association for Non-Violence. Additionally, she founded the Bethune-
Dubois Institute in an effort to promote the cultural and educational 
development of African American youth.
  In her later years, Ms. Tucker spearheaded a campaign against 
gangster rap music containing lyrics glamorizing criminal lifestyles 
and disrespect of women. In this effort to combat the negativity in 
gangster rap music, Ms. Tucker initiated a boycott of companies that 
produced such music and spoke out in objection to the NAACP honoring 
rapper Tupac Shakur with its Image Award.
  William Tucker, Ms. Tucker's husband of more than forty years, once 
described her as ``one of the most fearless individuals I have ever 
known. She will take on anyone, anything, if that is what she thinks is 
right. . . . I tell her there are times you have to compromise, but she 
is not one who will readily entertain the idea of compromise about 
anything.'' It was this dedication to social progress and unwillingness 
to settle for anything short of equality for all that makes Ms. Tucker 
a national hero.
  I salute the dedication and resilience that characterized Ms. 
Tucker's work throughout her life. I am truly grateful for her efforts 
to help women and minorities achieve equality and justice.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1094.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. POE of Texas. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to commemorate the life 
and to honor the legacy of Cynthia DeLores Tucker by supporting this 
resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1094.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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