Congressional Record—House H11484
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H11484 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE November 18, 2003 just inquisitive outsider, will find a sport in AWARDING CONGRESSIONAL GOLD deserve a first-rate education, a lesson from which physical courage is admired, family MEDALS POSTHUMOUSLY ON BE- which the Nation has benefited immeas- bonds are treasured, the nation’s flag is hon- HALF OF REVEREND JOSEPH A. urably. ored, and the proper point of balance be- (10) Reverend DeLaine deserves rightful DELAINE, HARRY AND ELIZA tween courteous restraint and necessary ag- recognition for the suffering that he and his gression is constantly debated. I greatly en- BRIGGS, AND LEVI PEARSON IN family endured to teach the Nation one of joyed my day at the races. If NASCAR fans RECOGNITION OF THEIR CON- the great civil rights lessons of the last cen- really do form a voting bloc, I would much TRIBUTIONS TO BROWN V. tury. rather they were on my side than the other. BOARD OF EDUCATION (11) Like the Reverend DeLaine and Harry I am glad to have made the acquaintance of Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I move and Eliza Briggs, Levi Pearson was an inte- gral participant in the struggle to equalize a thrilling, noisy, colorful, commercial, very to suspend the rules and pass the bill American sport. the educational experiences of white and (H.R. 3287) to award congressional gold black students in South Carolina. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I medals posthumously on behalf of Rev- (12) Levi Pearson, with the assistance of yield myself such time as I may con- erend Joseph A. DeLaine, Harry and Reverend Joseph DeLaine, filed a lawsuit sume. Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson in rec- against the Clarendon County School Dis- Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. ognition of their contributions to the trict to protest the inequitable treatment of Con. Res. 320 and commend the gen- Nation as pioneers in the effort to de- black children. (13) As a result of his lawsuit, Levi Pearson tleman from Florida (Mr. FEENEY) for segregate public schools that led di- also suffered from acts of domestic terror, introducing this legislation. rectly to the landmark desegregation such as the time gun shots were fired into Since March 26, 1903, when the first case of Brown et al. v. the Board of his home, as well as economic consequences: automobile race was held on a beach in Education of Topeka et al. local banks refused to provide him with cred- Volusia County, Florida, motorsports The Clerk read as follows: it to purchase farming materials and area races have been held in every American H.R. 3287 farmers refused to lend him equipment. State. Millions of Americans enjoy the Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- (14) Although his case was ultimately dis- missed on a technicality, Levi Pearson’s excitement and speed of motorsports resentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, courage to stand up for equalized treatment brought to them by such organizations and funding for black students served as the as the Championship Auto Racing SECTION 1. FINDINGS. The Congress finds as follows: catalyst for further attempts to desegregate Teams, Grand American Road Racing, (1) The Reverend Joseph Armstrong South Carolina schools, as he continued to Indy Racing League, the Sports Club of DeLaine, one of the true heroes of the civil fight against segregation practices and be- America, the National Association of rights struggle, led a crusade to break down came President of Clarendon County Chapter Stock Car Automobile Racing, and oth- barriers in education in South Carolina. of the NAACP. ers. (2) The efforts of Reverend DeLaine led to (15) When Levi Pearson’s litigation efforts to obtain equalized treatment and funding The research and development of ve- the desegregation of public schools in the United States, but forever scarred his own for black students were stymied, Harry and hicles used in motorsports competition life. Eliza Briggs, a service station attendant and contribute to the improvement of safe- (3) In 1949, Joseph DeLaine, a minister and a maid, continued to fight for not only ty and technology of motor vehicles school principal, organized African-Amer- equalized treatment of all children but de- used by the general public. Addition- ican parents in Summerton, South Carolina, segregated schools as well. ally, motorsports activities contribute to petition the school board for a bus for (16) As with Reverend DeLaine and Levi Pearson, the family of Harry and Eliza millions of dollars to local and State black students, who had to walk up to 10 miles through corn and cotton fields to at- Briggs suffered consequences for their ef- economies as well as to the national forts: Harry and Eliza both were fired from economy. tend a segregated school, while the white children in the school district rode to and their jobs and forced to move their family to As America continues to grow and from school in nice clean buses. Florida. develop and as we continue to exercise (4) In 1950, these same parents, including (17) Although they and their family suf- our creativity and ingenuity, and as we Harry and Eliza Briggs, sued to end public fered tremendously, Harry and Eliza Briggs find additional ways for recreation, school segregation in Briggs et al. v. Elliott were also pioneers leading the effort to de- segregate America’s public schools. many people are beginning to view this et al., one of 5 cases that collectively led to SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. as not only a spectator sport but also the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision of Brown et al. v. Board of Education of Topeka (a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—In recogni- something that they would learn to et al. tion of the contributions of Reverend Joseph participate in themselves. (5) Because of his participation in the de- A. DeLaine, Harry and Eliza Briggs, and Levi Again I commend the gentleman segregation movement, Reverend DeLaine Pearson to the Nation as pioneers in the ef- fort to desegregate public schools that led di- from Florida (Mr. FEENEY) for intro- was subjected to repeated acts of domestic terror in which— rectly to the landmark desegregation case of ducing this resolution and urge its Brown et al. v. the Board of Education of To- swift passage. (A) he, along with 2 sisters and a niece, lost their jobs; peka et al., the Speaker of the House of Rep- resentatives and the President Pro Tempore Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance (B) he fought off an angry mob; of the Senate shall make appropriate ar- of my time. (C) he received frequent death threats; and rangements for the presentation, on behalf of (D) his church and his home were burned to Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate the ground. yield back the balance of my time. design, to Joseph De Laine, Jr., as next of (6) In October 1955, after Reverend DeLaine kin of Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, and to The SPEAKER pro tempore. The relocated to Florence County in South Caro- question is on the motion offered by the next of kin or other personal representa- lina, shots were fired at the DeLaine home, tive of Harry and Eliza Briggs and of Levi the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. and because Reverend DeLaine fired back to Pearson. ROS-LEHTINEN) that the House suspend mark the car, he was charged with assault (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the pur- the rules and agree to the concurrent and battery with intent to kill. poses of the awards referred to in subsection resolution, H. Con. Res. 320. (7) The shooting incident drove him from (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter South Carolina to Buffalo, New York, where The question was taken. in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) he organized an African Methodist Episcopal shall strike 3 gold medals with suitable em- The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the Church. blems, devices, and inscriptions, to be deter- opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of (8) Believing that he would not be treated mined by the Secretary. those present have voted in the affirm- fairly by the South Carolina judicial system SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. ative. if he returned to South Carolina, Reverend The Secretary may strike and sell dupli- DeLaine told the Federal Bureau of Inves- cates in bronze of the gold medals struck Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, tigation, ‘‘I am not running from justice but pursuant to section 2, under such regulations on that I demand the yeas and nays. injustice’’, and it was not until 2000 (26 years as the Secretary may prescribe, and at a The yeas and nays were ordered. after his death and 45 years after the inci- price sufficient to cover the costs thereof, in- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- dent) that Reverend DeLaine was cleared of cluding labor, materials, dies, use of machin- all charges relating to the October 1955 inci- ery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of ant to clause 8 of rule XX and the dent. the gold medals. Chair’s prior announcement, further (9) Reverend DeLaine was a humble and SEC. 4. STATUS AS NATIONAL MEDALS. proceedings on this motion will be fearless man who showed the Nation that all (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck postponed. people, regardless of the color of their skin, pursuant to this Act are national medals for VerDate jul 14 2003 00:37 Nov 20, 2003 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00090 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A18NO7.156 H18PT2 November 18, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H11485 purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United children were driven to their schools in Mr.