Honoring The Life And Achievements Of The Late Parren James Mitchell

Floor Speech

HONORING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE LATE PARREN JAMES MITCHELL -- (Extensions of Remarks - June 06, 2007)

* Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the life and acheivements of Parren James Mitchell, the first black Congressman to represent the State of Maryland, 1 of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus, CBC, and a champion of civil rights. Mr. Mitchell was a powerful force in the 20th century resurgence of Black political strength in the United States and I was proud to serve with him in the Congress.

* Born in Baltimore, MD, on April 29, 1922, Parren Mitchell was the ninth of 10 children in his family. He earned a bachelor's degree from Morgan State College in 1950 and was the first Black to earn a master's degree from the University of Maryland--College Park in 1952, after a successful suit that granted him fair admission, Mitchell returned to his undergraduate institution to teach sociology and serve as the assistant director of the Urban Studies Institute. He was also a commissioned officer of the 92nd Infantry Division during World War II, receiving the Purple Heart.

* Having amassed more than 3,000 awards and 14 honorary degrees, Mitchell was a leader in politics and business. He served on the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City from 1954 to 1957 and as executive director to both the Maryland Human Relations Commission and Baltimore Community Action Agency.

* Mr. Mitchell was elected to the 92nd United States Congress in 1971 and reelected for seven successive terms. As the first Black to head the House Committee on Small Business, his greatest triumph was in leading a fight to ratify bills providing special aid to Black business owners on the grounds that Blacks had been subjected to discrimination for generations. In addition to heading the Small Business Committee, he was also Democratic whip at large, the senior member of the House Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Committee, and chairman of its Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy.

* In 1980, Mitchell founded the Minority Business Enterprise Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc., MBELDEF, whose accomplishments include a successful lawsuit against Burger King in 1988 for discriminatory practices in awarding franchises.

* As a mentor to African Americans committed to improving American civil rights, such as former president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, Kweisi Mfume, Mitchell was selflessly committed to uplifting his people and was even referred to during his chairmanship of the CBC as ``the Little General.''

* Parren is remembered in Congress as a soft-spoken yet eloquent speaker with a large presence. Former Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Richard Lugar asserted it was Mitchell's impassioned plea for sanctions against South Africa that persuaded him to accept a tougher measure than the Senate originally backed in 1985.

* Parren, along with other family members have dedicated their careers to public service and specifically to representing the people of Baltimore for many years. His brother, Clarence Mitchell, Jr., the late civil rights activist, was the chief lobbyist for the NAACP for 30 years and was instrumental in the passage of several civil rights bills. Two of his nephews, Clarence M. Mitchell III and Michael B. Mitchell, Sr., were elected as Baltimore city councilmen and Maryland State senators. His nephew, Keiffer Mitchell, is currently serving as a Baltimore city councilman and plans to campaign for the upcoming mayoral election in Baltimore city. His legacy of inspiring others to serve the public still lives on.

* In remembering the life of Parren Mitchell, I am grateful to have known him personally and am confident that America is a better place because he lived.

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