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October 2, 2007 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 153, Pt. 19 26279 throughout America, Gibson made history tress Phylicia Rashad (first to win a Tony vertising services to numerous political cam- once again—this time in magnificent fash- for best performance in a play), Essence paigns, voter initiatives, and labor unions. ion—by winning the 1956 French Open to be- chairwoman Susan L. Taylor (first recipient Walt also wrote articles for the Seattle come the first Black to win a Grand Slam of the Henry Johnson Fisher award), and Weekly and was brought further into the event. The next year, she won Wimbledon businesswoman Sheila Crump Johnson (first public eye when he was hired to conduct bi- and the U.S. Championships, then success- to have a stake in three professional sports weekly ‘‘Point-Counterpoint’’ debates with fully defended both titles the following year. franchises). conservative activist John Carlson on KIRO- Gibson teamed with Angela Buxton, a Jewish ‘‘Althea Gibson dreamed the impossible TV News. player from Briton, to win the 1956 doubles and made it possible,’’ said Johnson, who But it was the history muse that inspired championships at the French and was a BET founder. ‘‘She was one of the first Walt’s greatest creative output. His intro- Wimbledon. Both women experienced dis- African-American women in sports to say, duction to historical research came when he crimination by their fellow players, but after ‘Why not me?’ She empowered generations was hired to write a history of the Rainier their triumph at the All-England tennis [of Black women] to believe in themselves, Club. He followed this with books about Se- club, a British newspaper touted: ‘‘Minori- emboldened us to achieve and attain the un- attle University, Metro Transit, and Group ties win.’’ attainable. Her drive, spirit and passion con- Health Cooperative, as well as 2 of his proud- All told, Gibson, the daughter of South tinue to set an example for us today.’’ est accomplishments, Rites of Passage: A Carolina sharecroppers, won five Grand Slam ‘‘I will always be grateful to her for having Memoir of the Sixties in Seattle and The Na- singles titles and six Grand Slam doubles the strength and the courage to triumph in tional Trust Guide: Seattle. crowns, but her impact on tennis—and soci- extreme adversity,’’ said Venus Williams, a In 1997, he and local historian Paul Dorpat, ety—cannot be measured in mere trophy six-time Grand Slam singles champion, who a dear friend and colleague from their days counts. She was a trailblazer of remarkable also participated in the tribute. ‘‘Her accom- together at the Helix, tossed around the idea heart and courage, marking a path for those plishments set the stage for my success, and of publishing an encyclopedia of King County who would follow her, carrying herself with through players like me, Serena and many history. A book of this size and scope had not that special grace and dignity known only to others to come, her legacy will live on.’’ been published since Clarence Bagley’s tome, true champions. written more than 70 years before. Worried f ‘‘Althea made tennis a better place, by that such a venture might prove to be too opening doors and opening minds,’’ said REMEMBRANCE OF WALT unwieldy, Walt’s wife, Marie, suggested that USTA president and chairman Jane Brown CROWLEY an online encyclopedia would be a more suit- Grimes. ‘‘For that, all of us owe Althea Gib- able way to keep and maintain the historical son a debt of gratitude.’’ record. Work soon began, and the rest is his- In recognition of Gibson’s myriad con- HON. JIM McDERMOTT tory . or shall we say, HistoryLink. tributions to the sport of tennis and to soci- OF WASHINGTON MAKING HISTORY ety at large, the U.S. Tennis Association this IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES When HistoryLink launched in 1998, it was year hosted a very special tribute to the late the first encyclopedia of community history champion, who passed away in 2003 following Tuesday, October 2, 2007 created expressly for the Internet—an ac- a long illness. On an extraordinary evening Mr. MCDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, Seattle complishment that made Walt exceedingly of history and emotion, African-American recently lost a prominent and much loved cit- proud. But being the first meant blazing women who are pioneers in their own fields, trails where no historians had gone before, and the elite from the world of tennis, gath- izen, Walt Crowley. I would like to insert in the not only in designing and organizing the on- ered to honor and celebrate one of their own. RECORD a statement on his passing from line encyclopedia, but also in competing for Call her tennis’s own Jackie Robinson. HistoryLink, an impressive organization Walt funding in a dot-com world. Walt always re- The event, entitled ‘‘Breaking Barriers,’’ helped to found. ferred to our efforts as ‘‘venture socialism.’’ was held on the opening night, Aug. 27 of the REMEMBERING WALT Helped along by a hand-picked staff—many 2007 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King of whom still write, edit, and contribute to Walt Crowley, visionary cofounder of National Tennis Center in Queens, NY. It the site—as well as by a topnotch board of HistoryLink.org, passed away on September commemorated the 50th anniversary of Gib- trustees, HistoryLink.org grew to become a 21, 2007. Looking back at the rich tapestry of son’s pioneering triumph at the 1957 U.S. Na- success, and in 2003 expanded its coverage his life and work, one sees that it would take tional Championships (now known as the statewide. Today it receives more than four an encyclopedia to document how much of U.S. Open), and also provided a stage for Gib- million hits a month. It is read by students, an effect he had upon the city of Seattle and son’s induction into the prestigious U.S. teachers, journalists, genealogists, history on the state of Washington. Fortunately— Open Court of Champions. But the evening buffs, and anybody who wants to know more and thanks to his efforts—we can do that proved to be so much more—an acknowledge- about the people and events that shaped here at HistoryLink.org, the Online Encyclo- ment of the over- sight of having never be- Washington’s growth and development. pedia of Washington State History. fore recognized Gibson as a barrier-breaking Besides penning some of HistoryLink’s Walt moved to Seattle at the age of 14, pioneer, and a unique first-time celebration books, Walt wrote a large number of essays when Boeing hired his father. Many of the of the historic firsts achieved by other and editorials on topics that appealed to his friends and colleagues who knew him the prominent African-American women. interests, including state politics, political longest probably met him during his days at Nearly two dozen Black women pioneers shifts, mayoral transitions, municipal own- the Helix, Seattle’s first underground news- attended the tribute, including Olympians ership, civil violence, Seattle’s neighbor- paper, for which Walt wrote, cartooned, edit- Jackie Joyner-Kersee (first Black to win hoods, streetcars, monorails, aviation, the ed, and even sold copies of out on the street. back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the Space Needle, and even flying saucers. With Whether it was at a social gathering, during Heptathlon) and Dr. Debi Thomas (first such a wealth of Walt’s words and knowledge a street march, on the campaign trail, or Black Winter Olympics medal winner), astro- and insight contained in our site, we here at even in the midst of riots, Walt touched the naut Dr. Mae Jemison (the first Black fe- HistoryLink.org take comfort in the fact lives of many people, and made numerous male astronaut), gospel singer Yolanda that as we continue to grow and expand our friendships that lasted for decades. Adams (first Black female to win the Con- content, we will never lose his voice—even Walt’s passion for civic activism led to a temporary/Inspirational Artist award at though we have lost a colleague, a mentor, career in city politics. During a sit-in pro- American Music Awards) and Ambassador and most of all, our friend. test at Seattle City Hall, Mayor Wes Uhlman Carol Moseley-Braun (first Black female U.S. was so impressed with the young man’s wit f Senator). and political savvy that he hired him. Over Billie Jean King, whose own pioneering ef- TAIWAN PLANE SALES the next few years, Walt worked in various forts on behalf of female athletes were cele- city departments, most notably as deputy di- brated at this venue last year, was part of rector of the Office of Policy and Planning, HON. SCOTT GARRETT the tribute, as was New York City Mayor Mi- where he often advocated for historic preser- OF NEW JERSEY chael Bloomberg and Rachel Robinson. Jack- vation. His love for Seattle grew, based on ie Robinson’s widow. Aretha Franklin, the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES his awareness of its past. first Black woman inducted into the Rock & Tuesday, October 2, 2007 THE WRITE STUFF Roll Hall of Fame, performed at the tribute. Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Madam Other trailblazing Black women attending His skills as a writer opened up new vistas were former poet laureate Nikki Giovanni in his career when he formed Crowley Associ- Speaker, despite recent aggressive behavior (the first Black woman to receive the Rosa ates Inc. along with Marie McCaffrey, whom from China, Taiwan’s democracy has contin- Parks Woman of Courage award), former he would later marry.

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