September 6, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1629 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS HONORING VICTORIA GRAY ADAMS HONORING LOUIS LAFAYETTE PAYING TRIBUTE TO NEVADA CIVIL RIGHTS LEGEND HUNTLEY STATE COLLEGE AND DR. FRED MARYANSKI HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON OF MISSISSIPPI HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN HON. JON C. PORTER IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF FLORIDA OF NEVADA Wednesday, September 6, 2006 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speak- Wednesday, September 6, 2006 er, I would like to recognize the life of an Afri- Wednesday, September 6, 2006 Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to can-American civil rights legend, Mrs. Victoria Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would honor the students, faculty and administrators Gray Adams. Victoria Gray Adams, civil rights of Nevada State College’s School of Nursing activist, co-founded the Mississippi Freedom like to honor a great man whose life rep- resents an American success story. Sadly, in Henderson, Nevada, for their tremendous Democratic Party. achievements with their accelerated nursing Victoria Gray Adams and fellow civil rights Louis Lafayette Huntley passed away, but he program. Their achievements are a reflection activist Fannie Lou Hamer and Annie Devine left behind a legacy of service for generations of their commitment to our community. Dr. were chosen as the national spokespersons to follow. Mr. Huntley’s life is a testament to Fred Maryanski, President of Nevada State for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party commitment, faith and perseverance. College, has been instrumental in Nevada and attended the 1964 Democratic Convention Louis Huntley grew up in a large family in State College’s early success as Nevada’s in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Though their ef- Northeast Florida where he learned from his newest institution of public higher education. forts to unseat the all-white Mississippi delega- parents the hard work it takes to be successful His leadership, commitment, and vision serves tion were unsuccessful, these pioneering in life. Following high school, he served in the women and other members of the Mississippi as a testimonial to the success of the college’s U.S. Army for one year and after graduating Freedom Democratic Party’s decision to chal- nursing program. from the University of Florida in 1950, he com- lenge the Mississippi Segregationist political Nevada State College first welcomed stu- machine resulted in an integrated Mississippi mitted himself to over 40 years of service, first dents in August of 2002. It has been charged delegation at the 1968 Democratic Convention to the Florida National Guard and later to the with the mission to meet the needs of students and became a turning point in the civil rights Army Reserve until he retired as a Colonel in who are interested in bachelor degrees in our movement. Mrs. Adams gave account of her 1991. state’s much-needed fields such as nursing civil rights involvement in the documentary In that same period, Mr. Huntley’s distin- and education, as well as in other disciplines ‘‘Standing on My Sisters Shoulders’’, in which guished himself in the Florida business com- in the arts and sciences. Since that time, Ne- vada State College has committed resources, she recalls the day in 1968 that she along with munity, going out on his own and starting his professors, and vision to ensure that their mis- Fannie Lou Hamer and Annie Devine were the own business. By the time he sold it in 1990, sion statement becomes a reality. For faculty first African-American women to ever be in- Huntley’s Jiffy Stores, Inc. had amassed 342 and students, that dream has been achieved. vited as guest on the floor of the U.S. House locations across Florida and Southeast Geor- On Saturday, August 26, 2006, twenty-nine of Representatives. She and others were hon- gia. The success of his business endeavors students graduated from the college’s Acceler- ored at the 2004 Democratic National Conven- was truly earned. This success translated into tion for their trailblazing spirit and contribution ated Nursing Program, a success which re- politics where he served as president of the flects the college’s commitment to providing to the civil rights movement. Clay County Chamber of Commerce and as a Mrs. Adams would later become the first their students with the necessary resources to Florida State Representative from 1964 to achieve their dreams. I would like to commend woman from Mississippi to run for the United 1966. States Senate. Mrs. Adams helped change the following students on their graduation from Mississippi politics significantly by guaran- Mr. Huntley’s largest accomplishments, Nevada State College’s Accelerated Nursing teeing a seat at the table to discuss the Afri- however, can be attributed to what he gave Program: Nancy Andruk, Joyce Arce, Royal can-American agenda. Courageous and tena- back to his family and community. Mr. Huntley Bradley, Tatiana Brandon, Katherine Busby, cious, Mrs. Adams had an unyielding commit- was a great family man, with a loving wife, Diandra Castenada, Perla Cisco, Themis De ment to the civil rights movement, and for that Mary, by his side for over a half-century. To- Guzman, Tobyn Derby-Talbot, Andi Del Gatto, reason today Mississippi has the highest num- gether, they raised three children, Ward, Frank Catherine Dullano, Crisandra Eastmond, Raul ber of African-American elected officials in the and Edith, who along with their nine grand- Ellazar, Desiree Espinoza, Diane Graham, nation. children will carry on his legacy for genera- Kathryn Havey, Lynda Hubeny, Marianne After attending Wilberforce University for a tions to come. He loved to keep active with Jackson, Brigitte Lacombe, Jeanette Long, year, Mrs. Adams returned to Hattiesburg, charities like the Boy Scouts of America and Eudora Mordi, Eleanor Mox, Milagros Navarro, Mississippi where she taught voter registration Rotary International, where he had a perfect Bette-Ann Pierce, Sayma Salman, Dawn classes in the early 1960s and her fight for attendance record for decades. He was also a Scott, Nicole Thomas, Chantal Whittenberg, equality began. While Hattiesburg was 30 per- man of deep Christian faith who employed his Bethany Williams, and Samantha Zomar. cent African-American, only 50 citizens were strong family values in his professional and As a result of Dr. Maryanski’s tremendous allowed to register to vote. In 1962, Mrs. personal life. leadership, his faculty’s commitment to their goals, and his students’ determination to suc- Adams dedicated herself to the civil rights Mr. Huntley’s life was successful not only ceed, Nevada State College has become an movement when she became field secretary of because of his hard work and determination, important component of Nevada’s educational the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Com- but because he cared so much about those system. Dr. Maryanski assumed the presi- mittee (SNCC). She would later move to Thai- around him. Through innovation and leader- dency of the college in 2005, after a long and land and labor on behalf of African-American ship, he was able to create so much in his distinguished career at one of our country’s United States servicemen for several years. professional life, yet he still found time be a In her own words, Mrs. Adams said she leading public universities, the University of loving father and husband. He earned the re- learned in 1964 that there were two kinds of Connecticut. Since his arrival, President spect and friendship from those that knew people in grass-roots politics, ’’those who are Maryanski has been working in partnership him; he will truly be missed. in the movement and those who have the with the Nevada System of Higher Education movement in them.’’ ‘‘The movement is in I would like to send my condolences to his to triple the number of nursing graduates by me’’, she said, and ‘‘and I know it always be.’’ family and those mourning his loss. Although 2013. Please join me today in honoring a true civil he will be greatly missed, his story will live on Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Dr. Fred rights pioneer, Victoria Gray Adams. for others to follow. Maryanski, President of Nevada State College ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:28 Sep 07, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A06SE8.001 E06SEPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMREMARKS.