June 5, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E809 degrees from Georgetown University, Univer- He was present when Fannie Lou Hamer gave initial years of the start-up and roll-out of six sity of Maryland, and the University of Indian- her testimony to the credentials committee, centers. apolis; he received an honorary Doctor of and later when Hamer and Dr. Martin Luther This week, Dr. Lee and Jack Lund, Presi- Laws degree from Colby College. He was also King, Jr. debated over whether the MFDP dent of the YMCA of Greater New York, are the Knight Professor of the Practice of Com- should accept the compromise of two seats at visiting Washington, DC, to participate in a munications and Journalism at the Sanford In- the convention offered by Lyndon Baines ‘‘Champions of Change’’ celebration hosted by stitute of Public Policy at Duke University. Dur- Johnson. the White House in honor of the Obama Ad- ing his career Mr. Raspberry, has also served In 1988, Mr. Watkins returned to the Demo- ministration’s commitment to expanding pro- as a member of the National Association of cratic Party National Convention as a delegate grams and services to the immigrant popu- Black Journalists, Capitol Press Club, and for Jesse Jackson, Sr.’s Presidential Cam- lation of the New York City. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated. paign. Beginning in 1989 Mr. Watkins joined, A renowned cardiologist, Dr. Lee never fails Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me and now serves as President of Southern to give back to his community. He has shaped in recognizing Mr. William Raspberry for his Echo, a group dedicated to providing assist- one of the most successful programs in the exceptional contributions to our community ance to civil rights and education-reform YMCA through his belief that helping new ar- and to our society as whole. groups throughout the south. He was honored rivals succeed will be repaid many times over by Jackson State University with a Fannie Lou f in society. Hamer Humanitarian Award in 2011. HONORING HOLLIS WATKINS Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the in recognizing Mr. Hollis Watkins for his dedi- House of Representatives to join me now in cation to serving others. paying tribute to Dr. William Lee and to the HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON YMCA of Greater New York for their years of OF MISSISSIPPI f assistance to Korean Americans and to the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRIBUTE TO DR. WILLIAM LEE entire City of New York. Wednesday, June 5, 2013 AND THE YMCA OF GREATER NEW YORK f Mr. Thompson of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public serv- HONORING MRS. SARAH ant, Mr. Hollis Watkins who was born in July HON. GRACE MENG KIMBROUGH HART 29, 1941, in Lincoln County, Mississippi near OF NEW YORK the town of Summit. He is the youngest and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES twelfth child of sharecroppers, John and Lena HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON Watkins who were able to purchase a farm Wednesday, June 5, 2013 OF MISSISSIPPI during 1949. Ms. MENG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay Mr. Watkins graduated from Lincoln County tribute to Dr. William Lee and the YMCA of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Training School in 1960. During his youth, he Greater New York for their impeccable efforts Wednesday, June 5, 2013 attended the National Association for the Ad- to provide support and services to all New vancement of Colored People (NAACP) youth Americans. Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speak- meetings led by Medgar Evers. He met Robert Born in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. ‘‘Bill’’ Lee er, I rise today to honor Mrs. Sarah Kimbrough Parris Moses, commonly known as Bob became a student leader at the Korean Hart, a remarkable public servant. Moses, who was organizing for the Student YMCA. As he immigrated with his young fam- Mrs. Sarah Kimbrough Hart, a 90 year old Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in ily to New York to complete his graduate med- native of Lexington, Miss., who is the widow of 1961. Mr. Watkins joined SNCC and began ical education, Dr. Lee became aware of the the late Harrison aka ‘‘HB’’ Hart, a well-known canvassing potential voters around McComb, unique challenges facing newly arrived immi- farmer and strong community leader. She was Mississippi. He participated in McComb’s first grants and he has worked diligently over the born May 9, 1922 to Daniel and Rebecca sit-in at a Woolworth’s lunch counter and was past decades to combat these challenges. Kimbrough of the Shady Grove Community in jailed for 34 days. During his time in jail, he Bill Lee has served as a board member of the hills of Holmes County. She is the third of was threatened on several occasions, includ- the YMCA of New York City from 1982–1996 eight children (all females). Seven of whom ing once being shown a noose and told that and again since 2005. He also served on the are deceased. he would be hung that night. Later, his partici- YMCA of the USA Board of Directors from Mrs. Hart and her husband marched and pation in a walk out at McComb’s colored high 1995–2004, and continues to have a lifelong protested injustices during the civil rights school led to 39 more days in jail. relationship with the YMCA both in Korea and movement in Holmes County. They were Mr. Watkins’ activism had a personal price, in the United States. With support from Dr. among the very early African Americans who as many of his extended family ostracized him Lee and others, the YMCA of Greater New registered to vote after meeting would-be op- and would not recognize him in public for fear York established New American Welcome position for the County Registrar. of losing their jobs in white reprisals. Centers throughout the City, including the Veron Dahmer, president of the Forrest Flushing YMCA in my Congressional District. Mrs. Hart often shares the story of how the County, Mississippi NAACP asked SNCC for These Centers help immigrants achieve lit- Voting Registrar would ask them idiotic ques- help with voter registration and Mr. Watkins eracy, cultural competence, and self-suffi- tions like ‘‘how many bubbles are in a bar of moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to help with ciency. soup’’ or ‘‘how many strains of hairs are on a that project. He worked half days at Dahmer’s Mr. Speaker, drawing on his own experi- person’s head’’ just to discourage them from sawmill to pay his way, and spent the rest of ence as a young immigrant who faced much registering, but they would not give up. They the time organizing voter registration projects. adversity, Dr. Lee was able to turn his experi- kept returning to the Holmes County Court Mr. Watkins was one of many people spied ences into positive solutions for the newly ar- House until they were allowed to register. She upon by the Mississippi State Sovereignty rived immigrants he saw in New York City. He and her husband also housed civil rights work- Commission, which investigated civil rights successfully fundraised and organized the Ko- ers (freedom riders) from up north in their workers and created files on them for govern- rean Center of the Flushing YMCA, a branch home. They contributed money and resources ment use. His name appears in the files 63 of the YMCA of Greater New York that served to the movement. They were also integral times. Some of the reports refer to him as a new Korean immigrants with English-language parts of the efforts to bring the first black doc- communist, although he had little idea what classes and programs for newly arrived Ko- tor to Holmes County. Mrs. Hart is the mother that even meant at the time. rean families. As organizing chair of the Inter- of eight adult children, one deceased, and a Mr. Watkins traveled to Atlantic City, New national branch of the New York City YMCA, number of grands, greatgrands and great- Jersey for the 1964 Democratic Party conven- he championed the New Americans program, great grandchildren. tion in support of the Mississippi Freedom carefully outlining the needs of new immi- Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me Democratic Party (MFDP), which attempted to grants, and the importance of working collabo- in recognizing Mrs. Sarah Kimbrough Hart for unseat the regular Mississippi Democratic ratively with a strong referral network of serv- her dedication to serving others and giving Party as the true representatives of the state. ice providers. He also closely monitored the back to the African American community. 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