[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2826]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING AMELIA BOYNTON ROBINSON DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2014

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Alabama (Ms. Sewell) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue my 
commitment to honoring influential African Americans from Alabama 
during this Black History Month. This week, we honor the heroines of 
the movement for civil rights and voting rights. These courageous women 
had tremendous roles in our Nation's fight for justice and equality, 
and I am honored to share their stories.
  Today I honor the tremendous life and legacy of Mrs. Amelia Boynton 
Robinson. Amelia was a key figure in the voting rights movement in 
Selma, Alabama, and she is often remembered for her historic role in 
Bloody Sunday, on that solemn day on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. At 102 
years old, she is an American treasure whose story is a testament to 
her commitment to serving as a conduit of change.
  Amelia Boynton Robinson was born August 18, 1911, in Savannah, 
Georgia. Her mother was an activist during the women's suffrage 
movement. After the passage of the 19th Amendment, she and her mother 
would distribute voter registration information to women from the 
family's horse and buggy in the 1920s.
  Her mother's tireless efforts to secure the right to vote for women 
would have a lasting impact on Amelia. It also paved the way for the 
young activist to claim her own place in history. Fueled by the same 
passion, Amelia began her own service to mankind when she and her 
husband, Samuel Boynton, fought for voting rights and property 
ownership for Blacks in the poorest rural counties of Alabama.
  She was later named the only female lieutenant to Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr. during the civil rights movement. In this role, Amelia would 
travel alongside Dr. King and often appear in his stead for various 
events and gatherings during the movement.
  Amelia is best known for being on the front lines during Bloody 
Sunday in Selma, Alabama. During the protest, she was gassed, beaten, 
and left for dead at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
  Despite the violent attacks, this heroine was committed to staying 
the course. Her direct involvement in the movement led to the passage 
of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Amelia was such a valued part of this 
process that some of the contents of the bill were drafted at her 
kitchen table in Selma.
  On May 5, 1964, Amelia Boynton Robinson broke yet another barrier 
when she became the first woman in the State of Alabama to run for 
Congress. She garnered 10.7 percent of the vote during a time when very 
few Blacks were registered voters. Her historic run further solidified 
her impact on the movement for human rights, civil rights, and voting 
rights in Alabama.
  When this extraordinary woman wasn't contributing her time to the 
causes of her generation, she worked as an educator, a home agent with 
the Department of Agriculture, an insurance agent, an income tax 
preparer, as well as a real estate agent.
  She attended Georgia State Industrial School, which is now known as 
Savannah State University, and Tuskegee Normal, which is also known as 
Tuskegee University.
  I am certain that I would not stand before you today as Alabama's 
first Black Congresswoman without the tremendous contributions of this 
amazing woman. It is indeed humbling to experience and pay honor and 
tribute to the first African American woman to pursue this office in my 
great State.
  Her compelling story is one that reminds us of the undeniable power 
of courage. She refused to be silent and even risked her life to blaze 
trails for future generations. And at 102 years old, Amelia is still 
alive and still with us today, and she is still dispensing her wisdom.
  As we celebrate Black History Month and the notable contributions of 
African Americans to this country, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
saluting Mrs. Amelia Boynton Robinson, an Alabama gem and an American 
treasure.

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