[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16949]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   PAYING TRIBUTE TO ALABAMA STATE REPRESENTATIVE DR. YVONNE KENNEDY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Alabama (Ms. Sewell) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SEWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to 
the life and legacy of an Alabama State representative, Dr. Yvonne 
Kennedy, a lawmaker from Mobile, Alabama, who passed away, sadly, on 
Saturday at the age of 67.
  Dr. Kennedy was a pillar in the community and a tremendous public 
servant. She was the epitome of a servant leader, and she blazed the 
trails in Alabama politics that so many of us now follow. She led by 
example and was motivated by a drive and a passion for public service 
and education.

                              {time}  1010

  I am deeply saddened by her passing and know that her legacy of 
service will live on.
  Yvonne Kennedy was born on January 8, 1945, in Mobile, Alabama, to 
Leroy and Thelma Kennedy. At a young age, she displayed a commitment to 
academic excellence, and upon graduating from high school, she earned 
her bachelor's degree from Alabama State University, a master's degree 
from Morgan State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of 
Alabama. These early accomplishments were the beginning of an 
illustrious career both as a lawmaker and a community leader.
  First elected to the Alabama State House of Representatives in a 
special election in 1979, Dr. Kennedy was one of the longest-serving 
members of the Alabama State legislature. She served the 97th District 
of Mobile for more than 33 years. She was a prominent lawmaker who 
fought against Alabama's egregious voter ID laws, and she also 
championed the restoration of voter rights for rehabilitated ex-felons. 
She was the former chair of Alabama's legislative black caucus and was 
well respected by her colleagues. Her tireless commitment to public 
service and her advocacy for quality education in Alabama was 
unparalleled.
  In 1981, Dr. Kennedy became the president of Bishop State Community 
College in Mobile, Alabama, and she served in that role for over 25 
years. Under her leadership, Bishop State expanded from one campus to 
three campuses, and flourished until her departure in 2007. Dr. Kennedy 
was a premier educator whose commitment to education knew no bounds.
  Dr. Kennedy was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, 
and was their 19th national President from 1988 to 1992. She served on 
the boards of the Association of Higher Education, America's Junior 
Miss, was a trustee for Miles College, and she was a longstanding 
member of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. She was chairwoman 
of the Mobile County United Negro College Fund and youth director of 
the Board of Christian Education-Southeast Alabama Conference.
  I know that my generation owes Dr. Kennedy a debt of gratitude. I 
know that my generation stands on the shoulders of trailblazers like 
Dr. Yvonne Kennedy. It was her light that guided the path that led me 
to become Alabama's first African American Congresswoman, and for that 
I am eternally grateful.
  She left an indelible imprint on Alabama and across this Nation, and 
her legacy will live on. It is indeed a great privilege and an honor 
that I have today to recognize the legacy and contributions of Dr. 
Yvonne Kennedy with this tribute on the floor of the House of 
Representatives. Let her life stand as a testament to the courage and 
strength of one individual's ability to shape the lives of so many. On 
behalf of the Seventh Congressional District and the State of Alabama 
and a grateful Nation, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 
life and legacy of Dr. Yvonne Kennedy.

                          ____________________