[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15586-15587]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                HARRY T. AND HARRIETTE MOORE POST OFFICE

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2338) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 600 Florida Avenue in Cocoa, Florida, as the ``Harry 
T. and Harriette Moore Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2338

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. HARRY T. AND HARRIETTE MOORE POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 600 Florida Avenue in Cocoa, Florida, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Harry T. and Harriette 
     Moore Post Office''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``Harry T. and Harriette Moore Post 
     Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Gosar) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GOSAR. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2338, introduced by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Posey), would designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 600 Florida Avenue in Cocoa, Florida, as the Harry 
T. and Harriette Moore Post Office. The bill is cosponsored by the 
entire Florida State delegation and was favorably reported by the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on June 27.
  Mr. Speaker, it is altogether fitting and proper that we name this 
post office in Cocoa, Florida, for Harry and Harriette Moore, leaders 
of the civil rights movement in Florida. Harry Moore established the 
first branch of the NAACP in Brevard County, Florida, and is considered 
the first martyr of the civil rights movement. Sadly, on Christmas 
night in 1951, the Moores were killed by a bomb planted beneath their 
home.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in strong support of 
this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to join with my colleague from Arizona in 
consideration of H.R. 2338, to name the post office in Cocoa, Florida, 
after Harry T. and Harriette Moore. In accordance with committee 
requirements, H.R. 2338 is cosponsored by all members of the Florida 
delegation and was reported out of the Oversight Committee by unanimous 
consent. It honors the legacy of Harry T. and Harriette Moore, who both 
fought tirelessly for civil rights and against voter discrimination.
  In 1934, Harry and Harriette organized the first NAACP branch, as was 
mentioned, in Brevard County. In the face of discrimination, the Moores 
succeeded in establishing additional NAACP branches throughout Florida. 
In addition, the Moores worked with the Progressive Voters League to 
register over 100,000 African Americans in the State. Harry's hard work 
and determination led him to become the president of the Florida State 
Conference of NAACP branches.
  Tragically, as was mentioned, in 1951, Harry and Harriette Moore were 
fatally injured when a bomb planted underneath their house exploded. 
The Moores were survived by their only daughter, Juanita.

[[Page 15587]]

  Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this bill to commemorate the 
legacy of Harry T. and Harriette Moore, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GOSAR. I yield such time as he may consume to my distinguished 
colleague from the State of Florida (Mr. Posey), the sponsor of this 
legislation.
  Mr. POSEY. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, today we take an important step to honor the lives of 
Harry T. Moore and his wife, Harriette Moore. These leaders in the 
struggle for civil rights were taken from us 61 years ago this 
Christmas.
  Harry T. and Harriette Moore propelled the struggle for justice and 
equality far beyond the borders of their home in Brevard County, 
Florida. Leaders in the modern civil rights movement, they are 
remembered for their dignity, compassion, and emphasis on education. 
They left a legacy that remains close to the hearts of community 
leaders and one that is sure to outlast the length of their lives that 
were so tragically cut short.
  At a young age, the Moores were dedicated teachers and educators in 
our local community. Harry began his first job as an elementary teacher 
at Monroe Elementary School in Cocoa in 1925. Two years later, he began 
a decade of service as a high school principal in Titusville. Then, 
from 1936 to 1946, he served as a principal and fifth- and sixth-grade 
teacher at Mims.
  The couple first met in Brevard County when Harry was serving as a 
principal in Titusville and Harriette was an elementary schoolteacher. 
They were married on Christmas Day in 1926, and were later blessed with 
two daughters. They committed the remainder of their lives to the 
pursuit of civil justice for African Americans.
  The Moores first founded the Brevard County chapter of the NAACP in 
1934, which led to a statewide NAACP conference in 1941. Mr. Moore 
served as president of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP 
chapters, as well as the founder and executive director of the 
Progressive Voters League, as was mentioned earlier.
  It was through these channels that the Moores championed such issues 
as equality, education, and voter registration. But their steadfast 
adherence to equality was not without a price, as both Mr. and Mrs. 
Moore were fired from their teaching jobs and found it difficult to 
find employment. To proclaim them as pillars of the community would be 
an understatement.
  The couple celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve 
1951. As they celebrated, a bomb exploded beneath their home. Mr. Moore 
died on his way to the hospital, and Mrs. Moore died as a result of her 
injuries 9 days later.

                              {time}  1410

  The tragic murders sparked an even more resounding outcry for civil 
rights.
  Harry T. Moore has been called the first American civil rights 
martyr. Brevard County has honored the Moores' deep impact on the 
community by designating their homesite a Florida Historical Heritage 
Landmark, creating the Harry T. and Harriette Moore Memorial Park and 
Interpretive Center, and naming its Justice Center after the 
trailblazing couple.
  Additionally, the NAACP posthumously awarded Mr. Moore the Spingarn 
Medal for outstanding achievement by an African American. Both these 
fine citizens undoubtedly touched the lives of others with the 
dedication, integrity, persistence, compassion, and commitment each of 
them so courageously demonstrated.
  I am pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives is acting today 
to pass this legislation to name the U.S. Post Office in Cocoa, 
Florida, in honor of Harry T. and Harriette Moore. Passage of H.R. 2338 
will further honor the achievements and sacrifices of the Moores, the 
leaders and first martyrs of our Nation's modern civil rights era.
  Designating the United States Post Office at 600 Florida Avenue in 
Cocoa as the Harry T. and Harriette Moore Post Office will commemorate 
the Moores' legacy in a town where Mr. Moore began his service to 
others. This will serve as a constant reminder to our community of the 
important and lasting contributions the Moores made to Cocoa and the 
Nation.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, let me thank and congratulate my good friend 
from Florida (Mr. Posey) for bringing to this House, bringing to our 
attention these two great Americans and the legacy that they left this 
country. Thank you for doing that.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of 
H.R. 2338, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2338.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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