[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15513]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      COMMEMORATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY CHARLES OGLETREE JR.

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                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 30, 2016

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements 
and contributions that Professor Charles Ogletree Jr. has made to the 
County of Merced. Professor Ogletree has positively impacted the lives 
of many people in Merced and throughout the nation. His efforts to 
transform the educational experience of underprivileged youth in Merced 
have created new pathways of opportunity for students.
  Professor Ogletree has used his career experience as a Professor of 
Law at Harvard to give back to his hometown. Born in Merced, 
California, Professor Ogletree attended public schools and earned 
admission to Stanford University. He earned his Bachelor's degree and a 
Master's degree in Political Science. Upon receiving his Master's 
degree, Professor Ogletree earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law 
School. To list the publications authored, awards received, and lives 
changed by Professor Ogletree would present a task comparable to the 
writing of a small novel. Professor Ogletree's passion to promote 
equality of law under the constitution is a theme that has persisted 
throughout his entire career.
  From 2002 to 2007, Professor Ogletree established a scholarship 
program with $50,000 in Merced. The scholarship offered low income 
youth a chance to work in recreation programs over the summer for up to 
100 hours, making $7.00 an hour. Professor Ogletree has extended 
numerous scholarships to high schools in Merced County, including 
Golden Valley High School, Merced High School, and El Capitan High 
School. The tens of thousands of dollars he has offered to students in 
memory of fellow educators, family members, and friends, have 
substantially altered future education for Merced students around the 
country. To this day, the Charles Ogletree Family Scholarships are 
still offered to high school students in Merced.
  As a Professor of Law and Founder and Executive Director of the 
Houston Institute for Race and Justice, Professor Ogletree will 
continue to promote the cause of equality. His unfailing willingness to 
give back to the people of Merced reminds us that his career is not one 
that has forgotten its humble roots.
  Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of 
Representatives to join me in wishing Professor Ogletree continued 
success in his remarkable career as an academic and advocate for 
equality and justice. His life is a reminder of the success that 
follows an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and the charity that can 
come in its wake.

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