Congressional Record—House H5772
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H5772 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 25, 2006 that, Thurgood Marshall, was an Alpha in the fundamental role of developing learn to communicate. And, of course, man who stood tall. And when the call character and education; but I think if in my chapter, in order to get in, you came out, who would go for us and who we speak to the heart and soul of Al- had to say these poems and you had to shall we send to lead the charge in the phas, I want to speak to their commit- go through all these processes. So I civil rights movement, Martin Luther ment to civil rights. will end with this one: King stood strong, a 26-year-old man, f Out of the night that covers me, and said here I am, Lord, send me. black as the pit from pole to pole, I Alpha. b 1645 thank whatever gods may be for my So it is with great feeling and great I want to speak to their commit- unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch expression that I join every Member of ment, to the stairsteps of opportunity. of circumstance I have not winced nor this House of Representatives to give I want to thank them for embracing a cried allowed. Under the bludgeonings the proper respect to an organization man like Thurgood Marshall, who had of chance, my head is bloody but un- on whose shoulders we in this House the good reason to, one, be an Alpha bowed. It matters not how straight the rest. We are eight Members of Alpha in man but still stand in the courthouse gate, how charged with punishments this House, and we are so proud be- door as he argued Brown versus Topeka the scroll, I am the master of my fate, cause as we look back through our his- Board of Education. I am the captain of my soul. tory, we know that we stand here on And, yes, who would have ever That is the teaching of the Alpha Phi the shoulders of Adam Clayton Powell. thought that this great august Capitol, Alpha Fraternity. We commend Alpha When there were only a few, maybe that had not yet honored in complete- for its 100 years of existence. one, maybe two, African Americans ness the life and legacy of Martin King, Mr. Speaker, I yield my next 30 sec- that sat in this Chamber, it gave hope an Alpha, would have embraced the onds to end to Mr. CHAKA FATTAH, from that we, too, could one day come. mission of the Alpha Phi Alpha Frater- the great City of Brotherly Love, I am so proud and I thank this House nity that decided that they would Philadelphia. of Representatives for recognizing bring about this monument of honoring Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, could I Alpha Phi Alpha. Dr. King and his legacy with a monu- ask the gentleman from Nebraska if he Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, ment. For all the years to come, after could yield another 30 seconds of his 1 it is my pleasure to yield 3 ⁄2 minutes 100 years, 120 years, 130, 200, 300 years, time? to the distinguished gentlewoman from we will have the privilege of coming to Mr. OSBORNE. I would certainly the great State of Texas (Ms. JACKSON- the Capitol of the United States and yield the extra time. LEE) who, of course, is not an Alpha, because of the Alpha Phi Alpha Frater- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. but of course, she could indeed marry nity we will be able to look to the vi- FOLEY). The gentleman from Pennsyl- an Alpha man if she chose to do so, but sion, the hope, the inspiration of Mar- vania is recognized for 1 minute. a tremendous leader from the State of tin King. Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to Texas. So I believe that this resolution, au- acknowledge the 100 year anniversary (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked thored by Mr. HINCHEY, who I express of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and was given permission to revise and great appreciation for, is, in fact, need- which is a great institution in our extend her remarks.) ed as we honor Henry Arthur Callis, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. country and will be having its centen- Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Speaker, although this esteemed body nial conference starting tomorrow here is filled with aura and history, I might Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelley, in Washington. imagine that today there is more his- Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Har- As a member of the Alphas, I know of tory, more aura, more feeling, more ac- old Ogle, and Vertner Woodson Tandy, its reputation for academic involve- knowledgment of the struggles and the the founders of the fraternity. May ment. One of the first programs of our success of the Alpha Phi Alpha frater- they live in legacy forever. Congratula- fraternity was an effort to get young nity. How many can claim 100 years? tions. One hundred years doesn’t come men to stay in school and to go to col- And so today I rise to add my appre- very often. Congratulations to this lege, and our work here in the Congress ciation to the Members of Congress great and wonderful fraternity. continues that effort. who are Alphas, in particular the men Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I con- I want to welcome all the Alpha that are on this floor today, Mr. SCOTT tinue to reserve the balance of my brothers from across the country and of Georgia, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, and time. the world who are coming here to Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, representing a Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I Washington, DC. It is a proud day for wide array of men who are in the yield myself the balance of my time, this great organization, and I thank United States Congress who are Alpha and, first of all, I want to thank Rep- the Congress for honoring this organi- brothers. resentative HINCHEY from New York for zation and its great contributions to Might I just for a moment claim to introducing this resolution. I also want our country. be a sister of their fraternity as a to thank my colleague from Nebraska Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha so- for his management of the bill, Rep- want to express my thanks to Dante rority, but that is not why we rise resentative OSBORNE, a tremendous ed- Polk, my intern, who is also an Alpha today. ucator and legislator. And let me brother and is in the audience today. It is worth noting Alpha brothers thank all of those who have spoken. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance who are founding members of the Hous- Mr. Speaker, when I think of Alpha of my time. ton chapter and others who are part of Phi Alpha I think of its motto: First of Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I would that great chapter such as Gerald all, servants of all, we shall transcend like to once again congratulate Alpha Womack, Prince Cartwright, Larry all. Alpha is a great service organiza- Phi Alpha on their 100 years of service. Green, James Ward and, yes, the tion, and I want to congratulate our I thank Mr. HINCHEY for introducing former national President, Mr. Harry national president Daryl Matthews and the legislation, Mr. DAVIS for his man- Johnson. Additionally, other such lead- brother Harry Johnson, who is leading agement, and also his recitation, which ers are Horace William, Walter Criner, the effort to build the Martin Luther was quite inspiring, and the other Lew Don Buney, Sr. and L.W. Garrett, King monument on the mall. members of Alpha Phi Alpha. and many, many other good brothers. Alpha is a great role model for young Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to I salute the Alphas who has been here boys and men seeking manhood. Every join my colleagues today in support of H. Con. for 100 years of life and liberty and chapter has mentoring programs, edu- Res. 384, recognizing and honoring the 100th freedom and salute them for under- cational programs, creating oppor- anniversary of the founding of Alpha Phi Alpha standing the first line of defense is an tunity for young boys to become young Fraternity, Incorporated. I also want to thank education in their Go-to-High-School, men, and then to become the distin- Mr. HINCHEY for introducing this resolution, Go-to-College program, and of course, guished leaders that our country is so which I am proud to cosponsor. A Voteless People is a Hopeless People. greatly in need of. Mr. Speaker, what a legacy. Founded at Doing that for 100 years, 175,000 Afri- One of the things that I always liked Cornell University in 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha is can American men have been educated about Alpha was that it helped one the first black fraternity in the United States. VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:28 Jul 26, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00088 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K25JY7.104 H25JYPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE July 25, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5773 Alpha Phi Alpha has an illustrious history of Technical Education Act of 1998 to improve ‘‘PART B—STATE ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS service and leadership that is evident through the Act, having met, after full and free con- ‘‘Sec. 321. Joint funding. its list of members over the past century. This ference, have agreed to recommend and do ‘‘Sec.