September 9, 2002 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6097 time. I thank the House for considering nationally for more than a year beginning in pop ballad singer and jazz pianist, Nat this resolution today, and I extend my 1956 and was the first television show to be was also the first African American very best thoughts, prayers and grati- hosted by an African-American artist. man to have his own radio show, which tude to the Ganci family for all they (7) Nat King Cole graced southern Cali- began in 1946. Ten years later he was fornia with his music during the formative have gone through. years of his music career and formed the suc- the first African American to host his Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. cessful ‘‘King Cole Trio’’ in Los Angeles, own television show, and it was enor- Speaker, I yield myself such time as I California. mously popular as well. may consume. (8) Nat King Cole’s recording of ‘‘Route 66’’ Although his life was sadly cut short I thank my colleague for introducing serenaded generations of eager California in 1965, his legacy has lived on in part this legislation to honor the chief of immigrants. because of the great success of his the New York City Fire Department. (9) Nat King Cole’s recorded rendition of daughter, Natalie, who has revived As the wife of a professional firefighter ‘‘The Christmas Song’’ symbolizes the family much of Nat King Cole’s music by sing- warmth of the yuletide season. for almost 30 years, I know the bravery (10) Nat King Cole’s disarming delivery ing many of his songs in recent years. that these firefighters have, and I have teaches people the meaning of ‘‘Unforget- Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues had people tell me why they let chiefs table’’. to honor Nat King Cole by supporting send men in there to their deaths, and (11) Although Nat King Cole died from lung this resolution. I have told them quite clearly, if he cancer on February 15, 1965, the music and Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of would not have sent them in, I know embracing baritone voice of Nat King Cole my time. the firefighters would have gone in, are lasting legacies that continue to be en- Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I anyway. That is just the type of brav- joyed by people worldwide. yield myself such time as I might con- (12) Nat King Cole exemplifies the Amer- sume. ery they do have, and again, I thank ican dream by having overcome societal and my colleagues, and I urge adoption of other barriers to become one of the great H.R. 4797, to redesignate the facility this resolution. American entertainers. of the United States Postal Service lo- Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance (13) Members of the community sur- cated at 265 South Western Avenue, of my time. rounding the Oakwood Station Post Office in Los Angeles, California, as the Nat The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Los Angeles, California, have advocated for King Cole Post Office, was introduced question is on the motion offered by the renaming of the post office in honor of by the gentleman from California (Mr. the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Nat King Cole, a former resident of the area. BECERRA), on May 22, 2002. JO ANN DAVIS) that the House suspend SEC. 2. REDESIGNATION AND REFERENCES. Nat King Cole was born Nathaniel the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5336. (a) REDESIGNATION.—The facility of the Adams Coles in 1919 in Montgomery, The question was taken; and (two- United States Postal Service located at 265 South Western Avenue, Los Angeles, Cali- Alabama. He moved to the great jazz thirds having voted in favor thereof) fornia, and known as the Oakwood Station city of Chicago when he was four be- the rules were suspended and the bill Post Office, shall be known and designated cause his father, a Baptist minister, was passed. as the ‘‘Nat King Cole Post Office’’. had accepted pastorship of the True A motion to reconsider was laid on (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, Light Baptist Church. the table. map, regulation, document, paper, or other In Chicago, Nat King Cole’s mother, record of the United States to the facility re- f Perlina, directed the choir at her hus- ferred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to band’s church and introduced all the NAT KING COLE POST OFFICE be a reference to the ‘‘Nat King Cole Post Of- fice’’. Coles children, Edward, Nathaniel, Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Eddie Mae, Evelyne, Issac and Lionel, Speaker, I move to suspend the rules The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- to music early on. All four of the Coles and pass the bill (H.R. 4797) to redesig- ant to the rule, the gentlewoman from sons went on to become professional nate the facility of the United States Virginia (Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS) and the musicians. Postal Service located at 265 South gentleman from Illinois (Mr. DAVIS) Nat’s singing career began early. He Western Avenue, Los Angeles, Cali- each will control 20 minutes. was just four when he performed, ‘‘Yes, fornia, as the ‘‘Nat King Cole Post Of- The Chair recognizes the gentle- We Have No Bananas.’’ He went on to fice.’’ woman from Virginia (Mrs. JO ANN take piano lessons and play the organ The Clerk read as follows: DAVIS). in his father’s church. While attending H.R. 4797 GENERAL LEAVE Wendell Phillips High School in Chi- Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. cago which, of course, is in my congres- resentatives of the United States of America in Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that sional district, Nat and his brothers be- Congress assembled, all Members may have 5 legislative came true believers of jazz music and SECTION 1. FINDINGS. days within which to revise and extend constant fixtures on Chicago’s South Congress finds the following: their remarks on the bill under consid- Side, the center of jazz. (1) Nat King Cole was born Nathaniel eration. Adams Coles in Montgomery, Alabama, dur- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there b 1445 ing the difficult period of segregation in the objection to the request of the gentle- Growing up, he was most influenced United States, and was raised in the ghettos by pianist Earl ‘‘Fatha’’ Hines. After of the south side of Chicago, Illinois, where woman from Virginia? he endured the harshness of poverty. There was no objection. organizing and playing in a series of (2) Nat King Cole was often confronted Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. music groups, Nat ‘‘King’’ Cole moved with racism during his career, including Speaker, I yield myself such time as I to Los Angeles, where he formed the being attacked by members of a white su- may consume. group which later became the King premacist group while he was on stage in H.R. 4797, introduced by the gen- Cole Trio. He recorded his First Na- Birmingham, Alabama, in 1956. tleman from the State of California tional hit, Straighten Up and Fly (3) Nat King Cole allowed neither poverty (Mr. BECERRA), designates the post of- Right, and went on to record such fa- nor racism to prevent him from sharing his fice located at 265 South Western Ave- vorites as The Christmas Song, Mona music with people worldwide and from leav- ing a lasting impression on American cul- nue, Los Angeles, California, as the Lisa, Route 66, Chestnuts Roasting on ture. Nat King Cole Post Office. Members of an Open Fire, Rambling Rose, and (4) Nat King Cole established himself as the entire delegation from the State of many more. the best selling African-American recording California are cosponsors of the bill. Not only a talented singer, he was artist of his generation. Nat King Cole was truly one of the also the first black jazz musician to (5) Nat King Cole and his family became most unforgettable entertainers in our have his own weekly radio show in 1948 the first African-American family to inte- Nation’s history. Born in Montgomery, and 1949 and network television show grate the community of Hancock Park in Alabama, in 1919, Nat King Cole was a in 1956 and 1957. He was also an actor in Los Angeles when, despite threats and pro- tests from local residents, they purchased musical pioneer that helped to pave the St. Louis Blues, 1958, and Cat Ballou in their English Tudor mansion in 1948. way for countless black musicians to 1964. (6) ‘‘The Nat King Cole Show’’, primarily achieve success in the United States. Although a great man with a fan- broadcast from Burbank, California, aired Most widely known for his music as a tastic voice, Nat ‘‘King’’ Cole was not VerDate Sep 04 2002 04:29 Sep 10, 2002 Jkt 099061 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K09SE7.021 H09PT1 H6098 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 9, 2002 immune to discrimination. His tele- fice, a building owned and operated by he would stand at the alley and listen vision show was canceled because he the people of this government and of right next to the stage door. could not find a national sponsor. this Nation. During his teenage years, Nat ‘‘King’’ Being black was seen by many as the I cannot, however, nor can my col- Cole was involved with several musical reason for the lack of advertising. leagues, be the only ones to take credit groups.