July 19, 2006 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 152, Pt. 11 15167 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS

RECOGNIZING NOLAN K. STARK shall, Rosa Parks, Mary Mcleod Bethune, HONORING BENJAMIN L. HOOKS FOR ACHIEVING THE RANK OF , Joel Elias Spingarn and EAGLE SCOUT , along with the hundreds of thou- HON. AL GREEN sands of nameless faces who worked tire- OF TEXAS HON. SAM GRAVES lessly can not and must not be forgotten. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The history of the NAACP is one of sacrifice OF MISSOURI Wednesday, July 19, 2006 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and suffering. From bold investigations of ter- rorist lynching, protests of mass murders, seg- Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I Wednesday, July 19, 2006 regation and discrimination, to testimony be- would like to honor the life, legacy, and lead- Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause fore congressional committees on the vicious ership of Benjamin L. Hooks. For 15 years to recognize Nolan K. Stark, a very special tactics used to bar African- from the Benjamin L. Hooks presided over America’s young man who has exemplified the finest ballot box, it was the talent, determination, and largest and most influential organization for Af- qualities of citizenship and leadership by tak- tenacity of NAACP members that saved lives rican-Americans, the National Association for ing an active part in the Boy Scouts of Amer- and changed many negative aspects of Amer- the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP. ica, Troop 41, and in earning the most pres- ican society. Under his leadership, the influence of this or- tigious award of Eagle Scout. Mr. Speaker, Medgar Evers was a World ganization was greatly enhanced, adding sev- Nolan has been very active with his troop, War II veteran and a field secretary for the eral hundred thousand new members to its participating in many Scout activities. Over the NAACP. This proud member of the NAACP ranks. Beginning in 1977, when he became many years Nolan has been involved with was one of the many martyrs of the civil rights executive director of the NAACP, he began Scouting, he has not only earned numerous movement and his assassination at the hands issuing formal opinions on topics as diverse as merit badges, but also the respect of his fam- of a white supremacist from Mississippi in the lack of Black executives in Hollywood, the ily, peers, and community. 1963 helped prompt President John Kennedy role of the Black middle class on the improve- Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in to ask Congress for a comprehensive civil- ment of life in the low-income areas, and the commending Nolan K. Stark for his accom- rights bill, which President Lyndon Johnson 1991 nomination and confirmation of Judge plishments with the Boy Scouts of America signed into law the following year. Because of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court. and for his efforts put forth in achieving the the continuous sacrifice of NAACP leaders Benjamin L. Hooks was born in Memphis, highest distinction of Eagle Scout. and members like Medgar Evers, America is a TN in 1925, the fifth of seven children of Rob- f better place than it was 40 years ago and be- ert B. and Bessie Hooks. Although his family cause of the continuous effort of the NAACP was comfortable by so-called Black standards, HONORING THE NATIONAL ASSO- America will provide a better tomorrow for all Hooks would recall wearing hand-me-down CIATION FOR THE ADVANCE- of our citizens. clothes and watching his mother stretch the MENT OF COLORED PEOPLE Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to honor the groceries so everyone had enough to eat. (NAACP) National Association for the Advancement of Hooks’s parents were both hard-working Colored People—NAACP—for its 97 years of Americans, and his grandmother was the sec- HON. AL GREEN faithful service on behalf of African-Americans ond Black woman in the United States to OF TEXAS as champions of social justice and for its lead- graduate from college—Berea College in Ken- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ership in the continuous struggle for civil and tucky. human rights for all. During the Second World War, Benjamin L. Wednesday, July 19, 2006 Hooks found himself in the humiliating position f Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I of guarding Italian prisoners of war who were would like to honor the National Association RECOGNIZING JEFFREY AARON allowed to eat in restaurants that were off lim- for the Advancement of Colored People— WULFF FOR ACHIEVING THE its to him because he was not White. The ex- NAACP—for its 97 years of faithful service as RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT perience helped to deepen his resolve to fight champions of social justice on behalf of Afri- against all forms of discrimination in the can-Americans and for fighting for almost a HON. SAM GRAVES United States. After his wartime service—he century so that all Americans could realize OF MISSOURI was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant— and experience the American dream. The IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES he would later head north to Chicago to study NAACP has always been comprised of dedi- law at DePaul University. Even after putting cated people who would not stand still while Wednesday, July 19, 2006 his life on the line for his country, no law the rights of Americans of color were denied Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause school in his native Tennessee would admit and they have built a legacy on ensuring that to recognize Jeffrey Aaron Wulff, a very spe- him simply because he was not White. every single American was able to carry out cial young man who has exemplified the finest Hooks earned his J.D. degree in 1948 and their lives under the full protection of the law. qualities of citizenship and leadership by tak- promptly returned to Memphis, vowing to help From the ballot box to the classroom, the ing an active part in the Boy Scouts of Amer- break down segregation. He passed the Ten- dedicated workers, organizers, and leaders ica, Troop 395, and in earning the most pres- nessee Bar examination and opened up his who make up this tremendous organization tigious award of Eagle Scout. own law practice, confronting prejudice at and maintain its status as an immense civil Jeffery has been very active with his troop, every turn. By the late 1960s Hooks worked rights organization have been continuously participating in many Scout activities. Over the as a judge, a businessman, a lawyer, and a fighting on the frontlines for social and eco- many years Jeffery has been involved with minister. Twice a month he flew to Detroit and nomic justice. Scouting, he has not only earned numerous preached at the Greater New Mount Moriah Since the foundation of this great organiza- merit badges, but also the respect of his fam- Baptist Church. Always dedicated to the civil tion was laid down more than a century ago ily, peers, and community. rights struggle, he constantly made himself alongside the banks of the Niagara Falls, this Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in available to the NAACP as needed for civil movement has fought long and hard to ensure commending Jeffery Aaron Wulff for his ac- rights protests and marches. that the voices of African-American women complishments with the Boy Scouts of Amer- On November 6, 1976, the 64-member and men would be heard. The legacy of pio- ica and for his efforts put forth in achieving the board of directors of the NAACP elected neers such as W.E.B. DuBois, Thurgood Mar- highest distinction of Eagle Scout. Hooks executive director of the prominent civil

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