Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Louie Gohmert, for his friendship over the past years that we have served together in this Chamber.

I certainly thank him for his support of the Emmett Till Antilynching Act that was signed into law by President Biden a few months ago. I thank Representative Gohmert for his support and for his steadfastness on that bill.

Mr. Speaker, it is for the final time that I stand in this well on this floor to commemorate the memory and the legacy of Fred Hampton, my friend and comrade in the Black Panther Party.

This last Sunday marked 53 years since Chairman Fred was assassinated by a racist, corrupt Chicago Police Department, which, as a part of the FBI's COINTELPRO program, the FBI's national counterintelligence program, without legal authority and in stark violation of the U.S. Constitution, surveilled, harassed, harmed, arrested, and assassinated innocent, ordinary American citizens.

My friend, Fred Hampton, was a brilliant young man that I recruited to join the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party, which I, along with Mr. Bob Brown, organized in 1968.

Fred and I fought together side by side against police brutality and police murder in Chicago specifically, but across our great Nation in general.

We set up free community health clinics, free breakfast for children programs, and a free busing to prison program to allow families to visit their loved ones who were in prison.

Mr. Speaker, we initiated free sickle cell anemia testing programs to educate this Nation and to tell Black people about this dreaded but often and largely ignored disease.

Mr. Speaker, thanks to his charismatic leadership, Fred Hampton was so powerful and so inspirational throughout the city of Chicago and the Nation at large, his charisma, his influence extended even to other countries.

Chairman Fred was a charismatic, courageous, exceptional, and highly committed leader, who, at the age of 21, was assassinated while he slept under the influence of the drug Seconal that was put in his favorite drink at that time, which was Kool-Aid. His Kool-Aid was laced with Seconal.

Why? Because Fred Hampton used every fiber of his talent, his immense talent, without hesitancy, to fight for poor people: poor Whites, poor Blacks, poor Asians, poor Hispanic people, poor people across the board.

His oratory skills exceeded almost every significant leader of his time. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, he was able to move the masses not simply and only because of his oratory but also because of his example.

To see Fred, to hear Fred, was to know Fred, to be inspired by Fred.

Mr. Speaker, Chicago, my home city, the city I love, was and still is one of the most segregated cities in America, but Chairman Fred understood how to connect across racial and geographic boundaries. He knew how to connect with aspirations and deep-seated desires of people across racial and geographic lines. He knew how to create alliances and coalitions based around common needs and common desires.

He created the original Rainbow Coalition in Chicago. This coalition was a partnership with the Young Lords, a Hispanic organization, and the Young Patriots, which was an organization of poor Appalachian Whites from the Uptown community in Chicago.

Mr. Speaker, this amazing, creative, never-seen-before coalition of poor people was comprised of working-class people in our city suffering with the same issues that we all were suffering with. Those issues were police brutality, substandard housing, mediocre education, low-quality healthcare, and low-quality food that was being sold in stores in our neighborhoods.

Mr. Speaker, these were the programs that Fred Hampton championed. This was the kind of individual that Fred Hampton was.

I stand here today, Mr. Speaker, and say that rather than be saluted for these and similar efforts, the Black Panther Party members, and particularly Chairman Fred, were seen as a threat to those in power.

J. Edgar Hoover said that the Black Panther Party was this Nation's number one threat. Why? We were feeding hungry children. We were providing free healthcare to young children, to poor people who needed it. We were taking loved ones to prison to see their loved ones who were incarcerated. We were speaking truth to power.

Is this the reason why Fred Hampton was assassinated? Is this the very reason why the Black Panther Party was being viewed by J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI as the number one threat to this Nation? It just doesn't make sense.

Mr. Speaker, J. Edgar Hoover's FBI started a file on Fred and put him on their Agitator Index, listing him as a key militant leader.

They even went so far as to hire a fellow by the name of William O'Neal, a streetwise Black criminal and operative, as an FBI informant who was assigned to infiltrate the Black Panther Party and report back to them about our every move, our every activity.

And then, Mr. Speaker, on December 4, 1969, at about 4 a.m. in the morning, the Chicago Police Department, working in conjunction with the FBI and the Cook County State's Attorney, Edward V. Hanrahan, surreptitiously entered an apartment at 2337 West Monroe where Fred Hampton lived, and where other Black Panther Party members were staying. They came with the premeditated plan to murder Fred Hampton, to murder me and any other party members that they found in that apartment.

They came armed with machine guns, high-powered pistols, and every other type of weapon, intent on killing everyone in that apartment. They came under the guise of executing a search warrant for weapons, but had every intention of murdering Fred Hampton, and others in that apartment. They killed Fred.

Mr. Speaker, let me make it real clear. Throughout American history, there has not been anyone other than

Fred Hampton that was assassinated under the authority of the U.S. Government--not one. Fred Hampton was the only politically assassinated American citizen that was assassinated on the shores of our Nation. Fred Hampton.

They came for me, but they missed me, Mr. Speaker. Early the following morning at about 5 a.m. on December 5, they came, the Chicago Police Department tried to kill me again. They came to my apartment with a search warrant for weapons and they shot my door down, but I was not in that apartment. I moved my family out of that apartment, just hours before they came, on the preceding day.

Mr. Speaker, they tried to justify the murders of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark by saying that it was a shoot-out, placing the blame on Fred and other members of the Black Panther Party. Later, it became crystal clear that this was a clear politically motivated assassination.

The grand jury evidence showed that the police had fired 99 times--99 shots fired into that apartment. And they also said that there were only two shots that were possibly fired by the Panthers in that apartment.

Mr. Speaker, let me remind you that this was during the 1960s, a time of deep and necessary awakening in our Nation, a time of political protest, a time of cultural confrontation. A time of change in our Nation. It was a time when poor, oppressed people took a necessary step forward to end the systemic oppression that they were faced with.

African Americans, women, disabled individuals, Mexican-American farmworkers, Native Americans, anti-war protestors, environmentalists, and other activists organized to fight during this time against injustice and for equality and for equity.

Most of us view this time, some half-century later, as a turning point in American history. A time when the oppressed populations in our Nation finally had an opportunity to speak up and create positive change for themselves and by themselves.

However, Mr. Speaker, J. Edgar Hoover, didn't like what he saw. He didn't like what was going on in our Nation.

J. Edgar Hoover determined that anyone who had the audacity to stand up and challenge the oppressive status quo, that they were a threat.

To whom? We were American citizens. We loved our Nation. We were a threat to him and his consorts--him and those who wanted to oppress, for racial and other reasons, poor people.

Mr. Speaker, in 1956, J. Edgar Hoover created and designed a program within the Federal Bureau of Investigation called COINTELPRO. COINTELPRO was an acronym for the Counterintelligence Program of the

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair of the committee, my good friend Congresswoman Maloney.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3655, the Civil Rights Cold Case Investigation Support Act of 2022. This bill is the Senate companion to my bill, H.R. 6818, and I am pleased beyond measure to support its passage on the floor today.

Four years ago, Mr. Speaker, Congress passed my bill, the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018, into law. That law created a collection of civil rights cold case records to be disclosed to the public, helping to resolve by bringing closure to the more than 100 unsolved cold cases from the civil rights era. It was designed to bring some small measure of comfort to families and communities that have waited far, far too long for answers about the loss of their loved ones so many decades ago. I hope today's passage will bring some sense of closure to these families.

A crucial part of that bill was the creation of the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board, which serves as an independent oversight agency that reviews requests to delay making civil rights cold case records public.

President Biden has appointed, and the Senate has confirmed, some wonderfully qualified nominees to the board, but since the previous administration failed to appoint any members to the board, the board is about to run out of its legislative time before it can truly bring its mission to fruition.

Mr. Speaker, the bill passed in the Senate, and I see no reason why the House cannot pass the bill today. I urge passage of the bill today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Patrick and Dee Woodtor for their work in Africa International House and to celebrate the 33rd iteration of the African Festival of the Arts. The festival is back this year after taking a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. With the return of the in-person festivities, this year's theme is ``Back to Culture. Back to Tradition.''

The African Festival of the Arts has been celebrated in Chicago for more than three decades. Each year on Labor Day weekend, the festival attracts a multi-cultural audience, offering the Black community a chance to reconnect to their roots, while also giving those outside the community the opportunity to learn more about African culture. Through poetry readings, interactive workshops, art exhibits, musical and dance performances, food tasting, arts and crafts classes, and displaying a replica of an African village, the festival illustrates the rich African culture present within the people of Chicago.

The festival also contributes immensely to the City's economy. African International House hires local residents and vendors to participate in the annual event, which generates revenue for the city and local businesses.

Patrick Woodtor founded Africa International House and the festival. Woodtor is originally from Liberia and first came to the United States in 1976 to attend Northwestern University, where he met his wife, Delores ``Dee'' Parmer. After graduating, the Woodtors briefly lived in Liberia, but soon returned to the States due to the political turmoil unraveling in the country.

A short time after returning to Chicago, the Woodtors' cultural outreach began when Dee opened a store in Hyde Park called ``Window to Africa'' that specialized in selling African artifacts, which helped the surrounding community better connect and understand their heritage. The store also served as a resource center for African immigrants transitioning into their new lives here in America.

The success and popularity of Dee's store fueled their desire to expand their efforts. Patrick started the festival, and then later Africa International House--a larger umbrella organization that offers exchange programs to Africa and more broadly bridges cultural understanding.

African International House and the Woodtors have received numerous accolades for their contributions to the cultural fabric of Chicago and service to recent immigrants, and I wanted to further cement the depth of their impact by speaking about it in the halls of the U.S. Capitol.

Madam Speaker, Chicago has a rich history of celebrating the heritage and ancestry of its residents. The Woodtors have added to that history by lifting African culture on a large scale, which only further enhances the beauty and diversity of our great city. They deserve to be honored and recognized for this work, which benefits all Chicagoans.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and legacy of Bob Juliano, an ally of the working man and a friend to so many who worked with him.

Juliano, who referred to himself as ``Cool Bobby J'', was born and raised in the west side of Chicago--a city he dearly loved. He started his career in the hospitality industry in Chicago but moved to Washington to represent the legislative interests of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees International Union.

He made strong relationship with Members on both sides of the aisle and from different parts of the country. Juliana's success in D.C. was driven by the fact that he didn't view the Members by the letters next to their names, but how each elected official cared about their constituents and everyday people. Juliano easily related to people as he advocated for improving the lives of our constituents, which endeared him to us. He managed relationships beautifully, not just Members of the House and Senate, but our Congressional office staff as well.

True to the spirit of his role, Juliano also seemed to know every service worker on the Hill, whom he extended the same level of kindness and respect as he would show leadership. This embodied why we so deeply admired him, because he valued each person's work and showed it.

He made strong ties to members of the Congressional Black Caucus, because his devotion to people shined through in how he advocated about issues, especially when it came to the fight for equality. Bob always maintained that civil rights was the defining issue of our generation.

The relationships he established and maintained around the Hill helped him shepherd labor legislation through both chambers, including when it came to issues of middle-class, hardworking Americans and protecting health care of hospitality workers.

A true Chicagoan, he never forgot where he came from and who helped him along the way. Although he passed last year, his spirit and memory still live on with everyone he worked with in D.C., reminding all of us of the importance of bipartisanship and treating others with respect.

Madam Speaker, it was a blessing to know him, and I am honored to have been able to call him a friend. My thoughts are with him, his family, and all who loved him.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 284 on H.R. 7666, I mistakenly recorded my vote as ``yea'' when I should have voted ``nay.''

Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

Allred (Takano)

Bonamici (Manning)

Bourdeaux (Correa)

Bush (Takano)

Carter (LA) (Williams (GA))

Carter (TX) (Weber (TX))

Cohen (Beyer)

Connolly (Beyer)

Costa (Correa)

Crist (Wasserman Schultz)

Davis, Danny K. (Gomez)

DeSaulnier (Beyer)

Garcia (IL) (Takano)

Gosar (Boebert)

Gottheimer (Neguse)

Guest (Fleischmann)

Hayes (Neguse)

Huffman (Gomez)

Jayapal (Takano)

Jeffries (Kelly (IL))

Johnson (GA) (Manning)

Johnson (TX) (Stevens)

Katko (Meijer)

Keating (Neguse)

Kirkpatrick (Pallone)

Lawson (FL) (Wasserman Schultz)

Long (Fleischmann)

Moore (WI) (Beyer)

Nadler (Pallone)

Newman (Beyer)

Palazzo (Fleischmann)

Payne (Pallone)

Porter (Neguse)

Price (NC) (Manning)

Rice (SC) (Meijer)

Rogers (KY)

(Reschenthaler)

Rush (Neguse)

Salazar (Diaz-Balart)

Scott, David (Neguse)

Sires (Pallone)

Stansbury (Stevens)

Strickland (Neguse)

Suozzi (Neguse)

Swalwell (Correa)

Tlaib (Gomez)

Walorski (Baird)

Watson Coleman (Pallone)

Amendment No. 8 Offered by Mr. Griffith

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of an extraordinary woman, journalist, television broadcast legend, and philanthropist, Mary Francine ``Merri Dee'' Dorham.

Merri was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 30, 1936. While she grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, she returned to Chicago as a teenager where she graduated from Englewood Technical Prep Academy High School in 1955. After graduating, Merri attended Xavier University in New Orleans, where she was a business administration major. Although she had to drop out to support her siblings, her passion for journalism would land her at WBEE in 1966 and, two years later, Merri began hosting an entertainment program at WCIU on Saturday nights.

In 1971, Merri's popularity on local television resulted in her having her own talk show, ``The Merri Dee Show'' on independent station, WSNS-Channel 44. That year, Merri faced a personal tragedy when she and a talk show guest were kidnapped from the television station and nearly killed. She survived this horrendous incident and made it her life's mission to advocate for victims of gun violence. She lobbied state and local public officials in passing Illinois' first victims' bill of rights, which would become a model for other states.

In 1972, Merri became an anchor for WGN-TV's 9 p.m. newscast, becoming the first African American lead anchor for a news station in a major U.S. city. For the next three decades, she would play a pivotal role at the station as a senior leader, including serving as WGN's Community Relations Director. In this capacity, Merri was a liaison between the station and the many social and community organizations around town and managed multiple public service campaigns, including hosting countless broadcasts of the legendary Bud Billiken Parade, the nation's largest and longest running African American parade, annually attended by one million onlookers and two thousand parade participants.

Merri's philanthropic commitment was consistent beyond her professional career. She participated in several charities and organizations including the Chicago-based program Athletes for a Better Education--a charity she founded. She was a yearly fixture as television host for the United Negro College Fund's ``Evening of Stars'' for nearly two decades, in addition to hosting numerous telethons for the Easterseals.

Throughout the next 40 years, Merri would spotlight her love for children through several on-air segments, including ``The Waiting Child,'' which focused on children in the foster system in need of an adoptive home. Her impact was recognized by then-Illinois Governor Jim Edgar, who recognized her with a commendation in 1998 for helping to increase state adoptions by more than 50 percent. Her hard work and dedication also earned her the Adoption Excellence Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2004.

Merri Dee was a trailblazer in the world of broadcast journalism for young Black women paving a path for increasing diversity in newsrooms. She was a committed mentor, an author, and devoted leader in her community led by her faith, forgiveness, and grace. A recipient of countless awards and accolades, she was inducted in the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame and served as the president of Illinois' AARP chapter. She was an incredible leader; a compassionate; a kind professional and gloriously gifted friend with a broad, welcoming million-dollar smile.

Her loss is deeply felt in Chicago, the Nation, and across the entire world. My thoughts and prayers are with her family, loved ones, and to all who were impacted by her wonderful spirit.

Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and unable to cast my vote on Roll Call No. 127. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 127.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of an extraordinary man and broadcast radio icon, an on-air personality, and a radio station owner: Mr. Pervis Spann.

Pervis Spann was born in Itta Bean, Mississippi on August 16, 1932. Growing up, he picked cotton and cared for his family when his mother fell ill. At age 14, he managed the Dixie Theater, a local Black theater. His family uprooted from Mississippi and migrated to Battle Creek, Michigan in search of jobs, education, housing, and the right to vote. Spann joined the military and fought for our Nation during the Korean War.

In the 1950s, his love for music would lead him to his first disc jockey job at WOPA in Oak Park, Illinois. In 1960, he organized his first concert, which showcased B.B. King and Junior Parker. In 1963, Phil and Leonard Chess bought a radio station that later became known as WVON. Shortly afterwards, Spann was hired by the Chess brothers as a disc jockey for their 24-hour blues station.

Spann became known as the ``The Blues Man'', gaining notoriety with an 87-hour sleepless ``sit-in'' raising money for Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On April 1, 1963, Spann and his business partner, Wesley South, would purchase the radio station and create the mantra, ``The Voice of the Negro.''

Spann was a master marketer, utilizing the radio airwaves to promote some of the biggest concerts and shows in Chicago during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and providing a platform for African American musicians and entertainers. He formed the Delta Production Company, a concert production and marketing company which produced shows at The Regal Theatre, Arie Crown Theatre, the Lyric Opera House, the Aragon Ballroom, and the Trianon Ballroom. Spann was also the owner of The Burning Spear nightclub and several other establishments.

Spann booked James Brown; Sammy Davis, Jr; The Temptations; Chaka Khan; Dinah Washington; Jerry Butler; The Impressions; The Four Tops; Marvin Gaye; Al Green; Otis Clay; Earth, Wind & Fire; Sam Cooke; The Staple Singers; The Commodores; Marvin Gaye; Cab Calloway; Roy Hamilton; Jackie Wilson; Little Richard; and Count Basie. Notably, he was most famous for crowning Aretha Franklin ``the Queen of Soul'' in 1962.

For nearly six decades, Spann's radio station played a pivotal role in creating a platform for community, business, and political leaders. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. could be heard regularly on the Wesley South Show, Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad were part of the evening format, and Mayor Harold Washington favored WVON for his public service announcements. In 1968, WVON was the first station in the country to announce the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when Reverend Jesse Jackson called from Memphis with the news on April 4, 1968.

In 1975, WVON was sold and changed frequency. Spann formed a business partnership with Vernon Jarrett and Wesley South and bought the license to the original frequency in 1979. The new radio station, WXOL, was an all-blues format where musicians such as Johnny Taylor, Buddy Guy, KoKo Taylor, Howlin' Wolf, Otis Clay, and many others could be heard. In 1983, the station reclaimed the old call letters of WVON.

In 2012, Pervis Spann was inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame for his contributions in media, production, and business. He joined legendary musical luminaries such as B.B. King, Etta James, Mavis Staples, and Willie Dixon.

Spann was the epitome of the American dream--he went from `sharecropping to shareholding'. Throughout his life, Spann used the radio station as an outlet to cultivate new aspiring radio personalities. He was always willing to give a helping hand to those who needed work and support, and he both recognized talent and encouraged young people to pursue a college education.

Spann, along with his wife, Mrs. Lovie Spann, and four children, Melody, Darrell, Latrice, and Chante, continued to call the South Side of Chicago home for the rest of his life. Pervis Spann's loss is deeply felt across Chicago, the nation, and even the world.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family--Lovie, Melody, Darrell, Latrice, and Chante--and with all who loved and were impacted by this truly great man.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Rare Disease Day to stand with the courageous women and men who have been diagnosed with rare diseases and honor those who have lost their battle to these terrible illnesses.

An estimated 1 in 10 Americans are afflicted with rare diseases, and people of color suffer disproportionately from these illnesses. Despite their great overall number, rare disease patients are the ``orphans'' of the healthcare systems, often denied diagnosis, treatment, and the benefits of research. Due to the low prevalence of each disease, medical expertise is rare, knowledge is scarce, care offerings inadequate, and research limited.

We applaud the advocates, medical professionals, and caregivers who dedicate their lives to providing resources to those diagnosed with rare diseases. One such advocate is the Rare Disease Diversity Coalition, an organization born out of a commitment to help address the extraordinary challenges faced by rare disease patients of color and a dedication to serve as a catalyst for progress. The RDDC's depth and breadth of expertise come from the diversity of the over 50 coalition members and affiliates; which include the Asian-Pacific Islander American Health Forum, EveryLife Foundation, Health Equity Collaborative, MANA, A National Latina Organization, National Black Nurses Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association, Patient Advocate Foundation, and the Black Women's Health Imperative. This coalition can help society seize the momentum for change on racial inequities and drive progress on the continuing struggles regarding health equity and rare diseases. Last fall, the RDDC hosted the RARE Health Equity Summit Fall in partnership with Global Genes. This Summit brought together stakeholders from the rare disease community to discuss persistent gaps in diagnostic challenges for historically underserved and underrepresented patient communities and to align strategies to address health inequities of the rare disease community.

It is up to us to continue fighting for cures and ensure that every American, especially those of color, has access to the quality care they need. Still, our Nation has a long way to go before rare diseases no longer threaten American lives and devastate communities of color.

As we observe Rare Disease Day, I ask my colleagues in Congress to stand with me in support of real and significant progress with rare diseases; to unite in supporting treatments and breakthroughs with rare diseases; to ensure that more people have access to quality, affordable health care; and to lifting the inequitable health burden that falls on communities of color. We must commit to ending rare diseases and improving the lives of all those affected by these illnesses.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of an extraordinary woman who held her family together through strength and prayer: Mother Beulah Maxwell.

Mother Beulah was the mother of my late wife of 37 years and my beloved mother-in-law. She was a rock of inspiration, wisdom, and confirmation to me.

The daughter of Lorraine Oliver and Leo Dewitt, Mother Beulah was born April 20, 1934 in Memphis, Tennessee and graduated from Fayette County Training High School in 1952, later known as Fayette Ware High School. Mother Beulah made friends everywhere she went and found Christ at the early age at Beulah Baptist Church, where she remained a loyal member for 60 years. She had four children: Carolyn, Vanesa, Kenneth, and Stephanie. She deeply loved her children and raised them to be upstanding citizens who valued community and service. Mother Beulah was active in the community as a church leader and as a Boy Scout leader-- she was a constant presence in her children's lives.

As the matriarch of the family, Mother Beulah extended her support to family members, including myself and my late wife, Carolyn.

Mother Beulah worked as a school bus driver for nearly 15 years and proudly served the children of Shelby County--never once receiving a moving violation. Later, she would live in the care of her family in both Chicago and Memphis.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Frank Maxwell; and her daughter, Carolyn Rush. She is survived by her sister, Lizzy Stevenson; daughters, Vanessa Dennis and Stephanie Lemon; her son, Kenneth Shields--and grandchildren in addition to several great- grandchildren.

My thoughts and prayers are with Mother Beulah's family and with all who loved and were impacted by her.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life and legacy of an extraordinary man and international icon: civil rights activist and educator, Dr. Timuel Dixon Black, Jr.

Timuel Black was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1918. His father was a sharecropper, and his grandparents were formerly enslaved. Black's parents moved to Chicago when he was an infant as part of the Great Migration of Black Americans moving North, seeking a better life.

Black grew up in Bronzeville, in the densely populated ``Black Belt'' where African Americans were confined due to Chicago's discriminatory housing laws. Black attended Burke Elementary School and DuSable High School, and was drafted into the Army in 1943, where he fought on D-Day and in the Battle of the Bulge. Black visited the Buchenwald concentration camp shortly after it was liberated and later said that the atrocities he saw there motivated him to dedicate his life towards peace and justice for all people.

Upon returning home to Chicago, Black attended Roosevelt University, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology, and continued his education at the University of Chicago, earning masters degrees in both sociology and history. Black spent several years teaching high school in Chicago, Illinois and Gary, Indiana before becoming a professor at Loop College, which was later renamed Harold Washington College.

In 1955, Black saw Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. deliver a riveting sermon on television. He was so impressed that he immediately traveled to Alabama to meet Dr. King. That initial meeting would lead Professor Black to help build support networks for Dr. King while Dr. King commuted between Chicago and Alabama. In 1960, A. Philip Randolph enlisted Black to run the Chicago division of the Negro American Labor Council, an advocacy organization that would go on to organize the landmark March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Black helped organize the ``freedom trains'' that took thousands of Chicagoans to the event. More than 4,000 Chicagoans ended up attending the March on Washington. Over the course of his life, Black worked to mobilize African American voters and increase African American representation in Illinois politics. Black ran for office a number of times and consistently agitated against Chicago's machine politics. In 1963, Black ran for alderman as part of a coalition of independent Black candidates running against ``Silent Six'' machine incumbents, notably saying that it was time to ``end plantation politics.''

In 1982, Black suggested to his childhood friend, Illinois U.S. Representative Harold Washington, that he should consider running for Mayor of Chicago. In the fight to combat rising poverty, inadequate housing, and unemployment in Chicago's African American and Latino communities, Black spearheaded an effort to support Washington's campaign by registering 263,000 new voters and raising more than $1 million. In 1983, thanks in large part to Black's efforts, Harold Washington became Chicago's first Black mayor. In 1987, soon after Washington's death in office, Black led a successful advocacy campaign to rename Loop College in Washington's honor.

A renowned author and historian, Black wrote an acclaimed oral history on the migration of Black Americans to Chicago from the South, titled ``Bridges of Memory.'' Later, in 2019, he published a memoir titled ``Sacred Ground: The Chicago Streets of Timuel Black.'' For nearly his entire life, Timuel Black made the South Side of Chicago his home and Bronzeville his open classroom, where he taught and mentored future educators, community activists, and business and political leaders.

Madam Speaker, Timuel Black spent every day of his 102 years on this earth pouring his best into others.

As an educator, an activist, a civil rights leader, a confidante, an elder, and a sage, Tim gave his all to all of us.

He was at the center--the beating heart--of the Black community, the Chicago community, the national community, and the international community. Black's contributions were felt in countless historic events: Nelson Mandela's election as President of South Africa, Harold Washington's election as Mayor of Chicago, Barack Obama's election as the first Black President of the United States, Jesse Jackson's campaign for President, and Carol Moseley Braun's election as the first Black woman in the U.S. Senate, among others.

His loss is deeply felt in Chicago, in this Nation, and indeed across the entire world. My thoughts and prayers are with Tim's wife and family, and with all who loved and were impacted by this truly great man.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate and celebrate the life of an extraordinary and influential figure from Chicago's South Side, Bishop Charles Edward Davis. A native of Leland, Mississippi, Bishop Davis's life was guided by service to his country, his community, and his faith. After graduating high school in 1940, Bishop Davis relocated to Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, at the beginning of the Second Great Migration and the year before the United States entered World War II. Heeding the call to serve his country after the outbreak of war, Bishop Davis joined the U.S. Army at the age of 19, serving as a sergeant. In the Army, Bishop Davis would complete tours of duty in Germany, France, and Holland.

After the war, Bishop Davis would enter the upholstery business with his dear friend Brother James McDonald, a step which would lead him towards his lifetime of faith and good works. Brother McDonald's mother-in-law, Sister Anastasia Anderson, introduced him to the Indiana Avenue Pentecostal Church of God (IPC), and he became a member of the church in 1954 when it was under the pastorate of Elder Charles Ellis.

Recognizing the deep faith, commitment, and talent of Bishop Davis, Elder Ellis's successor, Elder Odee Akines, encouraged the further development of his faith and leadership. With Elder Akines at the helm of IPC, Bishop Davis served as the church's Sunday School superintendent, Young People's Leader, and President of the senior choir. By his side throughout his energetic leadership of the church was Dr. Geraldine Olivia Davis, his dear wife of 43 years until her passing in 1998. Bishop Davis was also a devoted father to a son, Larney Bush, Jr., and a daughter, Yolanda Davis.

After Elder Akines passed away in 1970, Bishop Davis was elected pastor of IPC. Himself a Doctor of Divinity and Master of Theology, Bishop Davis made this a central focus during his leadership of IPC, establishing scholarships and programs for young people seeking to further their educations in both the secular and Christian traditions. In 1986, Bishop Davis was elevated to the Bishopric by the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, serving as a Diocesan Bishop in New York State, Washington State, and Wyoming, eventually accepting a role as Diocesan of the 6th Episcopal District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, their Illinois District Council, in 2008.

Bishop Davis would come to be widely recognized as one of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World's most exemplary leaders, admired both in Chicago and nationally for his character and conviction. This caused him to become fondly known as ``Chief.'' Bishop Davis was a mentor to many young people who came to his churches seeking salvation, and always conducted robust community outreach efforts, making sure that his good works did not only benefit IPC, but the entire neighborhood and city. Bishop Davis's work was recognized by the City of Chicago in 1992, when the 3500-3600 block of South Indiana Avenue was named in his honor.

In 2004, Bishop Davis became united in marriage with Dr. Jessie Davis, and they were inseparable from one another, always working together for the spiritual benefit of their community. They would remain by each other's sides until Dr. Davis's death in April of 2020.

Madam Speaker, on February 9th, Bishop Davis was called to heaven after a lifetime of good works. My deepest prayers and sympathies go out to Bishop Davis's family, friends, and the IPC community on the passing of this supremely devoted and talented leader, who gave so much in service to his faith, community, and country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and commemorate the life and works of Dr. Melvin Banks, the founder of Urban Ministries, Incorporated. A prodigious soul, by the age of 12, Dr. Banks was already spreading the word of the gospel throughout his native state of Alabama, sharing stories of the Bible with younger children. It was when he was preaching in Birmingham that Dr. Banks heard a verse from the Book of Hosea that would change his life ``My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.'' Hearing this verse caused Dr. Banks to even further dedicate himself to spreading the gospel across the country and the world.

Dr. Banks' study of the Bible would take him to Chicago's Moody Bible Institute, where he was one of the institution's few Black students, graduating in 1955. However, Dr. Banks' education as a Christian in Chicago would not revolve solely around the classroom. At the urging of a chapel speaker, Dr. Banks visited a Brethren church on the city's South Side. This experience led him to the vital realization that he didn't need to diminish his blackness to live the fullest Christian life that he could. There, Dr. Banks would also meet and marry Olive Perkins, who would remain his partner throughout his life. He then continued his theological education in the Chicagoland area

at Wheaton College, earning a bachelor's degree in theology in 1958 and a master's degree in biblical studies in 1960.

When working for a Christian publishing company after completing his degrees at Wheaton College, Dr. Banks found that he often struggled to sell the company's Sunday School curriculum to Black churches. The material was written by white authors and told solely from a white perspective. Black churches believed that their students may not be able to relate to it. This realization led Dr. Banks to a truly visionary idea: why not create a Sunday School curriculum that would resonate with the Black experience? It was with this idea in mind that Dr. Banks launched Universal Ministries, Inc., with the mission of making the Bible more relatable to Black Sunday School students.

Beginning in his Chicago basement in 1970, Dr. Banks steadily grew Universal Ministries, Inc. to the point where it is today, with a customer base of over 40,000 for the company's Christian education resources. Thanks to the work of Universal Ministries, Inc., hundreds of thousands of Black Christians can see themselves and their experiences reflected in the texts of their faith. So titanic are the accomplishments of Universal Ministries, Inc., that the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association awarded Dr. Banks with their inaugural Kenneth N. Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.

Madam Speaker, Dr. Banks passed away on February 13, 2021. His life's work continues through Universal Ministries, Inc., and the thousands of students who will benefit from the curriculums he assembled. He is survived by his wife Olive and three children, Melvin Jr., Patrice Lee, and Reginald. My deepest thoughts and prayers go out to Dr. Banks's friends, family, and all those who had the privilege to benefit, spiritually and emotionally, from his life's mission.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate and celebrate the life of a fierce and unyielding champion of Chicago's students, Karen Lewis.

A native of Chicago's South Side and daughter of Chicago Public School teachers, Lewis attended Chicago Public Schools until her early admission to Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. Lewis would then make history at an early age, when she transferred to Dartmouth College and was the only African-American woman in her 1974 graduating class.

Returning to Chicago soon after her graduation from Dartmouth, Lewis began as a substitute chemistry teacher for Chicago Public Schools. Her intellect and commitment to her students earned Lewis a full-time teaching role, which she would hold for nearly two decades, enriching the lives and minds of students across the city. During her time as a chemistry teacher, Lewis taught at Lane Tech College Prep, Sullivan High School, and finally King College Prep in the Kenwood neighborhood, just blocks from her childhood home.

By 2008, Lewis had become a union delegate, bringing her energy and grit to the fight against school closures that would affect some of Chicago's most vulnerable students. Realizing that teachers and students faced increasing class sizes, school closures, and a budget crisis, Lewis put her bold vision forward and became the president of the Chicago Teacher's Union in 2010. In the face of many in Chicago's power structure calling for schools to be closed and protections to be stripped from dedicated educators, Lewis powerfully put forward a new vision for the city's public school, entitled The Schools Chicago's Students Deserve. With this vision, Lewis sought to narrow the often vast differences between what Chicago's teachers and students needed to be successful and what they actually received from Chicago Public Schools.

Madam Speaker, in September 2012, Karen Lewis rose to national prominence when she led the first teacher's strike in Chicago in a quarter century. Tackling a new mayoral administration that sought to lay off teachers in exchange for raises, Lewis led a labor movement whose tactics would be studied around the country as a model for successful organized labor. The nine days Karen Lewis led the Chicago Teachers Union on strike were instrumental in winning concessions that included a robust pay raise and fairer evaluation of classroom performance. The next year, teachers in Los Angeles used the tactics pioneered by Lewis to gain critical concessions from the city for their students and teachers. In 2018, West Virginia teachers used the Lewis play book during their strike. The 2012 Chicago teachers' strike has been described as having ``changed the future of organizing.''

So great was the appreciation of Lewis's bold and unrelenting fight for Chicago's teachers and students that many in the city believed that she would make an exceptional mayor. Sadly, in 2014, Lewis received the life-altering diagnosis of glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer. True to the fighter she was, Lewis carried on her fearless advocacy after her diagnosis, continuing on as president of the Chicago Teacher's Union until 2018.

Madam Speaker, Karen Lewis passed away on February 7th at the age of 67. With her death, Chicago and the nation have lost an icon and a treasure. My deepest sympathies lie with her husband, John, and all of her close family and friends during this challenging time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my dear friend, Mrs. Jada Russell, who passed away on July 2, 2019, after her battle with breast cancer. Jada was a beloved and admired woman whose light lit up any room she was in. She was a brilliant professional known for her gift of marketing and public relations work.

More importantly, Madam Speaker, Jada was a woman full of compassion known for her drive to give back to our hometown of Chicago, Illinois and who used her talents to amplify the voices of those who have too- often been left out of the conversation.

A ballet dancer in her youth, Jada was known in her community as a strong leader who was consistently willing to provide guidance and support to her many friends and colleagues. After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Jada began her career at Guess Jeans, going on to work for Conde Nast, and as a publicist for Johnson Publishing Company. As the founder of High Style Marketing, Jada's talents attracted the attention of such prominent figures as Dwayne Wade, Common, Rhymefest, and Reverend Jesse Jackson. Madam Speaker, I also had the distinct privilege of working with Jada and benefitted immensely from her passion and expertise.

Though the world lost Jada too soon, we take comfort in knowing that her memory lives on in those who continue to love her: her devoted husband, Julius Russell, her sister, Sybil Goodlett Smith, her father, Bill Goodlett, and the countless lives she touched through her good works.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of my wife, Paulette, my staff, and all those I serve in the 1st Congressional District of Illinois, I extend my heartfelt sympathies and prayers to Jada's friends and family as I mourn this deep loss with them.