[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12351-12352]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO DR. VINCENT HARDING

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 17, 2014

  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of myself, Congressman John 
Lewis, and Congressman Rush Holt, I rise to honor the life of one of 
Colorado's most respected and honorable residents, Dr. Vincent Harding, 
who passed away May 19 at age 82. This remarkable man merits both our 
recognition and gratitude for his unwavering efforts to improve our 
society. He leaves behind an impressive record of leadership in social 
justice and education, and he made an enormous impact on many lives.
  Vincent Harding lived a life of compassion and was committed to the 
``beloved community'' that his friend and colleague, Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr., dreamed this country could become. We are fortunate to have 
been touched by such an intellectually gifted man. He was an historian, 
theologian, teacher, social justice activist, author, and much more. 
The legacy that Dr. Harding leaves behind should inspire us all to 
continue to build on the foundation of nonviolence, justice and 
equality. The passion and dedication with which he labored is evident 
in his life's work.
  Born in 1931 in Harlem, Vincent Harding attended City College of New 
York, earning a BA in history. For the following 15 years he 
demonstrated his dedication to education as he earned a master's degree 
in both journalism and history as well as a PhD in history. Dr. 
Harding, along with his first wife, the late Rosemarie Freeney, a 
writer and activist in her own right, moved to Atlanta in 1961 to 
become involved in the American civil rights movement. There, he fought 
for equality as an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. Harding 
drafted several of Dr. King's speeches and is best known for writing 
his ``Beyond Vietnam'' speech, a landmark 1967 anti-war sermon. 
Following Dr. King's death, Dr. Harding wrote a book, Martin Luther 
King: The Inconvenient Hero, and he served as the first director at 
King's memorial center.
  As a professor, Dr. Harding had an impact on countless students. He 
taught at a number of universities, including the University of 
Pennsylvania, Spelman College and Temple University, and he spent 
nearly three decades teaching at Denver's Iliff School of Theology. He 
founded the Veteran's Hope Project in order to preserve the lessons we 
have learned from social justice leaders. Dr. Harding's dedication did 
not end with his retirement. He still worked to achieve his vision of 
utilizing social justice activism to connect spirit, creativity, and 
citizenship. He endeavored to heal America and make our country the 
beloved community Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had envisioned. His 
talent for teaching, gift of inspiring others, and capacity to relate 
to people of diverse racial, socio-economic and educational backgrounds 
means that his work will live on and continue to make a difference. 
Vincent Harding is an example of the life of commitment and courage we 
all can make.

[[Page 12352]]

  Dr. Harding is survived by his wife, Aljosie Aldrich Knight; his 
daughter, Dr. Rachel Harding; and son, Jonathan Harding.
  Please join me in commending Dr. Vincent Harding. His leadership in 
the search for justice, equity and truth continually enhances our lives 
and builds a better future for all Americans.

                          ____________________