CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE April 9, 1997
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
H1386 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE April 9, 1997 away from our kids and our grandkids uary 7, 1997, the gentleman from Cali- treasures of our country. However, we to have the same kind of opportunity, fornia [Mr. BROWN] is recognized for 60 should not forget that she had to fight to have the same kind of standard of minutes. hard to win her place in history. Al- living that we have had. Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speak- though she won a first prize in a voice I have introduced a Social Security er, I thank the distinguished gen- contest in New York in 1925 and made bill. It makes a lot of modest changes. tleman in the well, Mr. SMITH of Michi- an appearance that year with the New It does not increase the tax. It does not gan, for his eloquence in maintaining York Philharmonic, she was still un- affect existing retirees. In fact, it does the floor for such a period of time to able to find operatic engagements and not affect anybody over 57 years old. protect me and my interest in getting within a few years her career came to But it gradually slows down the in- here. a standstill. crease in benefits for the higher in- GENERAL LEAVE It was only after she toured Europe come recipients. It adds one more year Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speak- to great acclaim in the early 1930's to the time that you would be eligible er, I ask unanimous consent that all that the American public began to pay for Social Security benefits. Members may have 5 legislative days attention to her. Even after her ar- It makes a couple other small within which to revise and extend their tistry was recognized, in her home changes. I say, and it has been scored remarks and to include therein extra- country she faced racial prejudice on a to keep Social Security solvent for- neous material on the subject of my more mundane level. Well into her ca- ever; I say, let us run this proposal up special order this afternoon. reer, she was turned away at res- the flag pole. Let us start looking at The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. JEN- taurants and hotels. America's opera ways we can improve it, but let us not KINS). Is there objection to the request houses continued to remain closed to any longer pretend that the problems, of the gentleman from California? her for a long time. that the problem does not exist. I say, There was no objection. Yes, it was Marian Anderson who if we have any regard for our kids, we Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speak- first broke the color barrier for West- are going to do two things: We are er, I rise today to pay tribute to the ern classical musicians of African de- going to give them a good education centennial of the birth of Marian An- scent. There had, of course, been dis- and a good opportunity. We cannot derson, one of the world's greatest tinguished black musical artists before give them a good opportunity if we singers, a champion for civil rights, her, but it was she who accomplished continue to go deeper and deeper in and a leader in the advancement of what no one else had. With the gifts of debt and expect them to pay for it. We global peace. her talent and determination, she es- cannot give them the opportunity if we One hundred years ago, on February tablished beyond dispute that African- continue to increase taxes, thinking 27, 1897, Marian Anderson was born to a American musical performers could be that Government can spend a worker's poor family in Philadelphia, PA. She more than adequate to the task of ex- money better than they can. died at the age of 96, on April 8, 1993. celling in the most demanding concert Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance She was a master of repertoire across and operatic venues. of my time. operatic recital and American tradi- Marian Anderson not only played a f tional genres. vital role in the acceptance of African- When one of her music teachers first American musicians in the classical ON TAXES heard her sing, the richness of her tal- music world but also made a valuable (Mr. SMITH of Michigan asked and ent moved him to tears. One of the contribution to the advancement of the was given permission to address the greatest conductors of opera and sym- arts, the status of women, civil rights, House for 1 minute.) phonic music who ever lived, Arturo and global peace. Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speak- Toscanini of Italy, claimed Marian An- In 1939, the Daughters of the Amer- er, I want to say some last words on derson had a voice that came along ican Revolution, DAR, refused to allow taxes. only once in a hundred years. But be- Marian Anderson to sing at Constitu- In 1947, the Federal budget rep- cause of her race, her prospects as a tion Hall because of her race. As a re- resented 12 percent of the total econ- concert singer in the United States sult of the ensuing public outcry, Elea- omy in the United States. In other seemed limited. nor Roosevelt resigned from the DAR words, the Federal budget was 12 per- However, the magnitude of her talent and helped to arrange a concert at the cent of GDP. We have expanded that. eventually won her broad recognition Lincoln Memorial that drew an audi- As politicians find that they are more all over the world. She became the first ence of 75,000, an audience far larger likely to get elected and reelected if black singer to perform at the Metro- than Constitution Hall could ever have they make a bunch of promises to peo- politan Opera in 1955. By the time she accommodated. ple, we have had too many promises, retired in the mid 1960s, Marian Ander- Mr. Speaker, I have brought this Spe- because what it takes to keep those son was recognized as a national treas- cial Order to the House floor this after- promises is increasing taxes and in- ure. noon because 58 years ago today, on creasing borrowing. No one could have foreseen such a Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939, Marian Though young people today should be destiny for this girl born of a poor fam- Anderson gave that concert on the up in arms about what Congress is ily in Philadelphia. Her father, an ice steps of the Lincoln Memorial. No doing to their future, everybody should and coal salesman, died when she was a other occasion could be best suited for be looking at what they are paying in child. When her mother could not find us to pay a tribute to the centennial of taxes at the local, State and national a job as a teacher, Marian Anderson be- the birth of this great American. level. came a cleaning lady. She scrubbed In my opinion, the one event for Look at payroll deductions. If we did people's steps to earn enough money to which Marian Anderson is most re- not have automatic deductions on pay- buy a violin. There was no money for membered in the public mind is her checks, the people of America would piano lessons, so she and her sisters 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial, not stand for the kind of taxes they are taught themselves to play piano by which became a landmark in the fight paying to let somebody else decide how reading about how to do it. for civil rights. At 5 o'clock in the to spend their money when they could Marian Anderson received her first afternoon on that day, a crowd of 75,000 make a much better decision to help musical training in the choirs at the people assembled at the feet of the their family. Union Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Great Emancipator while radio micro- f The members of her church raised the phones waited to carry her voice to b 1630 money she needed to study with good millions across the land. As the sun music teachers. By saving money and suddenly broke through clouds that H.R. 864, THE MARIAN ANDERSON getting a scholarship, she was able to shadowed the scene all day, Marian An- CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE study in Europe. derson began singing ``America the COIN ACT A century after her birth, Marian An- Beautiful.'' The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under derson remains a model for all citizens The concert has been likened in im- the Speaker's announced policy of Jan- of the world and one of the greatest pact to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s April 9, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H1387 ``I Have a Dream'' speech delivered on This year also marks the 100th birthday sun, the moon, and the stars, he made no dis- the same site 24 years later, and I celebration of Ms. Anderson. A native Phila- tinction of race creed or color. Genius, might add parenthetically that I had delphian, born on February 27, 1897, Ander- like justice, is blind . Genius draws no the honor to be present at that speech, son became an internationally renowned con- color line and has endowed Marian Anderson an event at which Anderson also sang. tralto and an aspiring symbol to all who strive with such a voice as lifts any individual above The 1939 recital certainly set a prece- to achieve against tremendous odds.