[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 789]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING FRANK B. MESIAH OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK

  (Mr. HIGGINS of New York asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Mr. Speaker, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a 
time in our country to reflect on the progress that we have made on 
civil rights as well as how much further still as a nation we must go.
  When contemplating the progress in western New York, Frank B. Mesiah 
immediately comes to mind. Mr. Mesiah has been a prominent civil rights 
leader in Buffalo since 1950, following his service in the United 
States Army. Following a 20-year stay as president of the Buffalo 
NAACP, he retired late last year and will continue to be a public 
watchdog, this time through the lens of an active citizen.
  During his years of service, Mr. Mesiah has always been the first to 
stand up and fight on behalf of our community. He played a leading role 
in desegregating Buffalo public schools, integrating the Buffalo Police 
Department, and fighting against noninclusive neighborhoods.
  Mr. Mesiah has been a key leader in promoting tolerance and equality 
in western New York. While his time as NAACP president has concluded, 
his wisdom and passion endures in our community, and his work will 
inspire generations to come.

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