[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15409]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE SPIRIT OF MIDDLE PASSAGE, NAACP MARCHER FOR JUSTICE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 29, 2015

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, we mourn yet celebrate the life of NAACP 
justice marcher, Middle Passage, who passed away on September 12th, 
2015. Passage, 68, died during America's Journey for Justice, a six 
week march that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the civil rights 
movement.
  During Passage's earlier lifetime, he changed his name to Middle 
Passage to remind us of enslaved Africans. The ``Middle Passage'' 
represented the journey taken by slave ships from Africa to the West 
Indies.
  Despite having several heart operations and surviving two wars, in 
Korea and Vietnam, Passage marched over 900 miles from Selma, Alabama 
to Washington, D.C. while serving as the flag bearer during the Journey 
for Justice March. From his work as a civil rights activist, a veteran, 
and an overall believer in the U.S. Constitution, Passage will be 
remembered for his continued dedication for fighting for justice and 
freedom for all.
  While we grieve the loss of one of the many pioneers for civil 
rights, we will remember his legacy as a Marcher for Justice and more 
importantly, celebrate his memory and work in the community in efforts 
to ensure younger generations can learn and become inspired by him.

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