S1028 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 25, 1998 As the nation prepares to officially cele- As we celebrate the Martin Luther King and experience in responsible financial brate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Lu- Holiday on Monday, and as we honor James management. ther King, Jr., it is also fitting that we join Farmer with the Presidential Medal of Free- Dr. McKinney is well known in local the President in recognizing one of the great dom, let us vow to continue to learn. If we and national church circles. He has soldiers and leaders of the Civil Rights truly believe in the idea of the beloved com- Movement. In the 1940’s, while still in his munity and an interracial democracy, we served as a leader of the American Bap- early twenties, James Farmer was already cannot give up. As a nation and a people, we tist Convention USA. He was the first leading some of the earliest nonviolent dem- must join together and strive towards laying African American president of the onstrations and sit-ins in the nation, over a down the burden of race. And we must follow Church Council of Greater Seattle from decade before nonviolent tactics became a in the footsteps of a courageous leader, to 1965 to 1967. He has served as Advisor vehicle for the modern Civil Rights Move- whom, with the Presidential Medal of Free- on Racism to the World Council of ment in the South. dom, we can finally say: thank you, James Churches, and as a representative to Early in his academic career, James Farm- Farmer.∑ er became interested in the Ghandian prin- WCC’s Seventh Assembly. f ciples of civil disobedience, , Dr. McKinney’s leadership has ex- and . In 1942, at the age of 22, he TRIBUTE TO THE REVEREND DR. tended beyond the religious commu- enlisted an interracial group, mostly stu- SAMUEL B. MCKINNEY nity to the community at large. He has dents, and founded the Congress of Racial been active on the community, re- Equality (CORE), with the goal of using non- ∑ Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, Se- gional and state level. He was an origi- violent protest to fight segregation in Amer- attle’s African American community nal member of the Seattle Human ica. During these early years, James Farmer loses a visionary and much respected and other CORE members staged our na- Rights Commission and served for 12 leader when the Rev. Dr. Samuel B. years on the Washington State Com- tion’s first nonviolent sit-in, which success- McKinney steps down after four dec- fully desegregated the Jack Spratt Coffee mission for Vocational Education. He Shop in . ades of service at the Mt. Zion Baptist was founder of the Seattle Opportuni- Five years later, in what he called the Church in Seattle. Dr. McKinney is ties Industrialization Center and ‘‘Journey of Reconciliation,’’ James Farmer well known throughout the region as a served as President of the Board of Di- led other CORE members to challenge seg- tireless advocate for social justice, sup- regated seating on interstate buses. rectors for 20 years. He was a charter porter of youth and proponent of eco- member of Seattle’s first African In 1961, James Farmer orchestrated and led nomic development. the famous Freedom Rides through the American bank and served on the Advi- South, which are renown for forcing Ameri- Samuel Berry McKinney was born in sory Board of Directors for the 1990 cans to confront segregation in bus termi- Michigan, and raised in Ohio. He en- Goodwill Games. He has served as nals and on interstate buses. In the spring of tered Morehouse College in Atlanta, Chair of the Washington State Rain- that year, James Farmer trained a small where he became friends with a fellow bow Coalition. group of , teaching them to minister’s son, Martin Luther King, Jr. deal with the hostility they were likely to For his many works of community His college career was interrupted by a service, Dr. McKinney was awarded the encounter using . This tour of service in the U.S. Army, but training would serve them well. YMCA’s prestigious A.K. Guy Award. During the journeys, freedom riders were he returned to Morehouse to earn his He was also honored by his alma mater beaten. Buses were burned. When riders and degree in 1949. He then continued his with the hanging of his portrait in the their supporters—including James Farmer education at Colgate Rochester Divin- Chapel of Morehouse. and the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.— ity School, graduating in 1952. Even with retirement growing near, were trapped during a rally in Montgomery’s Dr. McKinney began his ministry at Dr. McKinney remains involved in a First Baptist Church, Attorney General Rob- Mt. Zion on the first Sunday of Feb- ert Kennedy ordered U.S. marshals to come variety of community activities. They to their aid and protect them from the angry ruary 1958. His ministry would become include membership on the boards of mob that had gathered outside. the longest in the church’s 107-year the Fred Hutchinson Research Center, In reflecting on the ride from Montgomery, history as well as one of the most ac- Washington Mutual Savings Bank, the Alabama to Jackson, Mississippi, James complished. Seattle Foundation and the Washing- Farmer said, ‘‘I don’t think any of us He quickly established himself as an ton Gives Foundation. He is also a thought we were going to get to Jack- energetic and ambitious young pastor. member of the Housing Commission of son. .. . I was scared and I am sure the kids In 1961, Dr. McKinney invited his col- were scared.’’ He later wrote in his autobiog- the National Baptist Convention, USA. raphy, ‘‘If any man says that he had no fear lege friend, Dr. King, to participate in At Dr. McKinney’s side throughout in the action of the sixties, he is a liar. Or a lecture series presented by the Broth- his years of service has been his wife, without imagination.’’ erhood of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Louise Jones McKinney. Mrs. McKin- James Farmer made it to Jackson and a program started by Dr. McKinney. It ney, retired from the Seattle Public spent forty days in jail after he tried to would be Dr. King’s only visit to Se- Schools where she was Director of Aca- enter a white restroom at the bus station. On attle and had a lasting impact on Se- demic Achievement, shares her hus- November 1, 1961, six months after the free- attle’s African American community. dom rides began, the Interstate Commerce band’s deep commitment to commu- Commission ordered all interstate buses and Mt. Zion has flourished under Dr. nity service and to encouraging aca- terminal facilities to be integrated. McKinney’s leadership. The member- demic progress. The McKinneys have Six years ago, James Farmer told a re- ship has more than tripled in size. An passed their values and work ethic to porter that while the fight against racism in educational wing was constructed in their accomplished daughters. Lora- the 1960’s ‘‘required tough skulls and guts 1963 and a new sanctuary in 1975. The Ellen McKinney earned her Ph.D. in . . . now it requires intellect, training and church was a forerunner in accredited, education.’’ Clinical Psychology and has received Not surprisingly, James Farmer continues church-site, preschool and kinder- awards for her innovative work with to do his part. Just as he taught his freedom garten education. The Feeding Min- children. Rhoda Eileen McKinney riders how to battle segregation over three istry provides meals to hundreds of Jones has a graduate degree from Co- decades ago, he has taught civil rights his- homeless persons, seniors and shut-ins lumbia University School of Journal- tory at Mary Washington College in Fred- each week. Mt. Zion’s six choirs pro- ism and writes for many national ericksburg, , for the past twelve vide music for the church and commu- church publications. years. He teaches his students how to re- nity at large. member and how to learn from history. I know that Dr. McKinney will con- James Farmer has, in truth, spent a life- Mt. Zion’s work on behalf of children tinue to make his mark on the commu- time teaching America the value of equality has been especially noteworthy and re- nity. I wish him the best of success in and opportunity. He has taught America flects Dr. McKinney’s belief in edu- his future endeavors.∑ that its most volatile social problems could cational achievement. The Educational f be solved nonviolently. He has reminded us Excellence Program presents annual of the countless acts of courage and convic- awards to students from kindergarten GREG BAYANI’S FIGHT FOR tion needed to bring about great change. He to grade 12. The Scholarship Ministry EQUITY has shown us the idealism needed to act and the pragmatism needed to succeed. His re- annually provides an average of over ∑ Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise spect for humanity and his belief in justice $25,000 for undergraduate and graduate today to honor the life of Greg Bayani, will forever inspire those of us privileged to school education. The Youth Credit a World War II veteran and tireless ad- call him mentor and friend. Union brings to participants training vocate for Filipino-Americans. Until