[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16286]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                REMEMBERING REVEREND FRED SHUTTLESWORTH

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the late civil 
rights leader, Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, who passed away earlier 
this month. From his humble beginnings in Mount Meigs, AL, he grew to 
become one of the most influential leaders in the battle for civil 
rights. Reverend Shuttlesworth was best known as cofounder of the 
Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which was formed in response 
to the Montgomery bus boycott, and for the role he played in the sit-
ins of lunch counters in 1960 and the Freedom Rides of 1961.
  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. considered Reverend Shuttlesworth one of 
the Nation's most courageous freedom fighters. Reverend Shuttlesworth 
was beaten, assaulted, jailed, and had his home bombed because of his 
outspoken views and his fight for racial equality.
  In 1953, he became the presiding pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in 
Birmingham, AL. He continued his call to preach in Cincinnati, OH, from 
1961-1966 where he pastored the Revelation Baptist Church. Reverend 
Shuttlesworth remained in Cincinnati during his latter years and 
returned to Birmingham after his retirement in 2007. During that time, 
he continued his fight for racial equality and became a strong advocate 
for the homeless.
  Although Reverend Shuttlesworth is no longer with us, his 
contributions to our Nation will not be forgotten.

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