Congressional Black Caucus Foundation honors its pioneers

16th March 2015 · 0 Comments

By James Wright
Contributing Writer

(Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspaper) — On Feb. 24, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation held its Sixth Annual A Voice Heritage Celebration at The Hamilton Hotel in downtown Washington. Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) were honored for their long service in Congress. Toyota was the recipient of the Distinguished Corporation Award.

The CBC was founded in 1971 and Conyers and Rangel are the founders currently serving in Congress. Both men have chaired the CBC. Conyers and Rangel are the longest-serving lawmakers of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen, Congressman Robert C. Scott and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson
Lee. (Seated)A. Shuanise Washington- President and CEO, CBCF, Congressman G.K. Butterfield, Jim Colon VP of Toyota African-American Business Strategy, Congressman Charles B. Rangel, Congressman John
Conyers, Jr. and Congressman Chaka Fattah.

Conyers began serving in the House in 1965 and played a key role in the drafting and passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Over the years, Conyers has passed legislation that designated the third Monday in January as the holiday in recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that forced companies to divest in apartheid South Africa, and has repeatedly sponsored a bill to provide reparations for African Americans.

Conyers was chairman of committees on government operations and the judiciary. In January, he became the first Black representative to have the longest-serving tenure in the House and is ceremoniously recognized as the “dean of the House.”

Conyers, who received the Distinguished Leadership Award, said he is passionate about fighting for the rights of the people. “Serving in Congress is something that I love,” he said.

Rangel, who received the Distinguished Pioneer Award, began his congressional career in 1971, has served as chairman of the CBC, and became the first Black to chair the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), the chairman of the CBCF, called Rangel a “legislator’s legislator” at the event.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called Conyers and Rangel “elder statesmen,” noting that “they are not that elder but they are statesmen.”

Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, made brief remarks. Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) and D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) were among the lawmakers attending the event.

This article originally published in the March 16, 2015 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.