E1726 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks September 15, 1998 Angelo actively worked with the East Boston FREDERICK DOUGLASS DAY IN PROCLAMATION Chamber of Commerce for over 40 years and NEW BEDFORD FREDERICK DOUGLASS DAY received its Man of the Year Award in 1973. Whereas: New Bedford was an important HON. BARNEY FRANK station on the ‘‘underground railroad’’ and He also served on the boards of the United Whereas: Frederick and Anna Johnson ar- OF MASSACHUSETTS Fund, the Kiwanis, the Mental Health Area rived in New Bedford on September 17, 1838 Board, the East Boston Savings Bank and the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES via the underground railroad and East Boston Social Centers. Among his many Tuesday, September 15, 1998 Whereas: Frederick and Anna Johnson were given refuge by Nathan and Mary John- accomplishments, perhaps the most notable Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, son at their 21 Seventh Street residence and was the creation of the Goodwill House Day as the Representative of New Bedford, Mas- Whereas: Nathan Johnson was responsible Program in Jeffries Point, which to this day sachusetts for nearly six years, I am always for giving Frederick his last name of DOUG- serves as a national model for urban day pleased to have the opportunity to discuss the LASS and Whereas: Frederick received one of his camps. city's remarkable history. Indeed, New Bed- ford's marvelous heritage has been recog- first jobs as a freeman, on the wharves of Throughout his years of service, Angelo re- nized by the U.S. Congress with the passage New Bedford and mained firmly committed to improving the lives in 1996 of the legislation establishing a Na- Whereas: Three of the Douglass children were born in New Bedford, Rosetta, Lewis, of our youth. His work as the general director tional Park in the city to commemorate its role and Frederick Jr. and of the East Boston Camps and as a member as an international whaling center. A lesser Whereas: Frederick Douglass gave his first of the East Boston Athletic Board helped give known, but also important, element of New speech in New Bedford, at the Third Chris- city kids a reprieve from the streets and taught Bedford's history is its role as a way station on tian Church and the Underground Railroad. That legacy will be Whereas: The Douglass family resided in them the values he embracedÐdiscipline, celebrated in the city on Thursday, September New Bedford until 1842 and compassion and strength of body and mind. 17, the 160th anniversary of the arrival in New Whereas: September 17, 1998, marks the 160th anniversary of the escape of Frederick By the time I launched my first campaign for Bedford of Frederick Douglass and his wife. Congress in 1986, Angelo Musto had already Douglass from slavery to New Bedford. As part of that celebration, New Bedford Therefore, I, Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz cultivated the talents of three generations of Mayor Frederick Kalisz, Jr. has issued a proc- Jr., hereby proclaim Thursday September 17, East Boston's youth and drew on those far- lamation designating September 17 as ``Fred- 1998, as FREDERICK DOUGLASS DAY and reaching ties to create a formidable political erick Douglass Day'' in the city. urge all its citizens to appropriately com- presence in East Boston. Frederick Douglass (who took that surname memorate this day. after arriving in New Bedford), is of course f During that first campaign, he drew exten- known to history as one of the prominent es- sively on his detailed knowledge of the history caped slaves and abolitionists. However, he THE PASSING OF BERNICE GLASS of the community, reaching back to the arrival also lived and raised a family for four years in of the Kennedys in East Boston. Angelo knew New Bedford before his personal and political HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN the history, but most importantly he knew the journeys took him elsewhere. Though we are OF NEW YORK people and the issues they cared aboutÐqual- today many decades removed from both his IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ity health care, good schools, decent housing, arrival in New Bedford and from the terrible Tuesday, September 15, 1998 access to college, and protection from outside period in our history when slavery existed in this nation, the issue of race relations remains Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my sad duty forces that have long sought to sacrifice East a major problem in this country. And I believe to inform our colleagues of the passing of a Boston's quality of life to the airline industry. it is important for us to keep the memory of truly remarkable resident of my 20th Congres- The eager volunteers that fanned out across that time alive for several reasons. Obviously, sional District of New York. East Boston in 1986 quickly learned the rules we must never forget either the absolute viola- Bernice Glass was only 75 years young, but of politics as taught by Angelo. I recall one in- tion of every conceivable notion of human she not only witnessed the incredible civil rights revolution which took place during her cident in which one of the higher-profile mem- rights that slavery represented or the stirring lifetime, she immensely contributed to it. bers of my campaign team upbraided a volun- achievements of those who traveled on, or helped other travel on, the Underground Rail- Born in Virginia, the granddaughter of teer in our East Boston headquarters. Angelo road, at an extraordinary risk to their lives. But slaves, Bernice moved with her family to stepped in, and with the persuasive skill he is also important for us to focus on the past Nyack, NY, at the age of two. She heard from had acquired through years of politicking, because the lessons of that period in our his- her parents and grandparents of the injustice calmed the rising tension, gently rebuked the tory are still with us today, and as we attempt and inhumanity of Jim Crow, and vowed that bigwig and at the same time made it clear that to alleviate the racial inequities which still exist future generations would not have to endure the Kennedy team in East Boston would never in our society, we must not forget what came such indignities. be a house divided. before. Accordingly, Bernice founded the Racial For these reasons, I am very pleased that, Equality Movement in Rockland County in the Throughout the years that followed, Angelo as part of the ongoing work of the New Bed- 1950's, at a time when Americans were only Musto remained an invaluable member of my ford Whaling National Historical Park, the Na- beginning to become conscious of the need Congressional team. As my East Boston Dis- tional Park Service has been helping improve for civil rights for all. She became the first Afro trict Representative and 8th District Coordina- our understanding of the city's role in the Un- American woman to serve as a police matron, tor for Seniors from 1987 until his retirement derground Railroad. This effort will be supple- in 1960. She was active in the NAACP, and in 1992, he served as a vital link to the com- mented in many valuable ways now that the witnessed the historic contributions made by munityÐattending meetings, fielding constitu- President has signed into law the National Un- Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and ent calls, and working to fund worthy projects. derground Railroad Network to Freedom Act, the other giants who courageously fought for His dedication to the comfort of East Boston's a bill I cosponsored and strongly supported. civil rights. In the 1970s, she became the first Afro senior citizens resulted in such accomplish- These two initiatives, along with the continued fine work of the many residents of New Bed- American Court Officer in the County Clerks ments as securing federal support to renovate ford who have done so much to keep the Un- office, and was appointed to represent the the Don Orione Nursing Home. derground Railroad legacy alive for years with- County Legislature on the Rockland Commu- With Angelo's passing, my heart goes out to out federal assistance, will ensure that this im- nity Action Council. She also became active his daughter Faith, his brothers Louis and Vin- portant history is preserved for future genera- with the Housing Authority of the Village of cent, his sisters Lucille, Emma, and Theresa, tions. Though I regret that I am unable to join Nyack, and became known as that Village's and to his grandchildren George and Lisa. in the celebration in person because the ``unofficial Mayor.'' House will be in session on the 17th, I am es- Ms. Glass founded the O'Grady-Brown Me- The truth is, we were all a part of Angelo pecially pleased that New Bedford will be tak- morial Scholarship Fund in 1981, in honor of Musto's extended family, which reached ing the time to publicly celebrate the 160th an- the two law enforcement officers slain during across lines of age and party and profession niversary of this important date in the city's the infamous Brink's Robbery in her home to include the great sweep of those whose and our country's history, and I ask that the community earlier that year. This scholarship lives he touched and served. Mayor's proclamation on Frederick Douglass is awarded to promising students desiring to Day be reprinted here. pursue a career in law enforcement.