Renaming the Russell Senate Office Building

Floor Speech

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Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and still I rise. Mr. Speaker, and still I rise. And I rise as a proud Member of this august body.

I rise with gratitude for the time that I have been afforded. I rise, understanding that time is precious. And I rise understanding that tonight, I have a topic that is going to be of interest to many and provocative to some, but still I rise.

I rise with the topic of institutionalized racism emanating from Capitol Hill. Institutionalized racism emanating from Capitol Hill.

This is hardly where one would expect institutionalized racism. And there are a good many people who say there is no such thing as institutionalized racism.

I trust that after tonight's message, many minds will be changed, and perhaps some hearts will be changed because if you know the truth, it can set you free. It can free your heart, it can free your mind, it can free your body, and it can free your soul.

So let's take the acts of truth tonight and slam it into the tree of circumstance and let the chips fall where they must. And still I rise.

Mr. Speaker, it is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. A picture is worth a thousand words. Here is a picture. This is a picture of the Russell Senate Office Building. The Russell Senate Office Building.

I think it appropriate that we get a better understanding of who Russell was. In 1972, some 50 years ago, the Old Senate Office Building, that would be this building, was named after Senator Richard Brevard Russell, Jr., an unapologetic racist, a white supremacist.

He was the chief legislative architect of the South's bitter opposition to the civil rights. He claimed that America was a White man's country. And he said:

And we are going to keep it that way.

Richard Brevard Russell, Jr., a Senator.

During his first run for the State legislature in 1920, he solicited the support and influence of every White voter and pledged he would serve only them, he would serve only them, if elected.

Russell said while campaigning in 1936:

As one who was born and reared in the atmosphere of the old South, with six generations of my forebearers now resting beneath southern soil, I am willing to go as far and make as great a sacrifice to preserve and ensure white supremacy and the social, economic, and political life of our State as any man who lives within her borders.

These are the words of Richard Russell, Senator Richard Russell. Senator Richard Russell whose name is on the Russell Senate Office Building, a building maintained with tax dollars. A building constructed with tax dollars. A building that I have to go into from time to time.

I try to limit my traversing through the building, but from time to time I must. But at some point, I am going to limit all of my movement into the building. I won't be going into it at some point.

And at some point, people of African ancestry are not going to go into this building. It is a symbol of national shame, not national pride. A symbol of national shame. The Russell Senate Office Building.

Senator Richard Russell successfully filibustered anti-lynching bills. We just passed an anti-lynching bill after many decades. One of the reasons why it took so long is because of Senator Richard Russell.

He blocked bills to eliminate poll taxes. He stood in the way of voting rights, especially for people of color. He also blocked bills to desegregate public schools, and this was done after Brown v. Board of Education.

He co-authored the ``Southern Manifesto'' to slow the integration of public schools after the Supreme Court unanimously ordered in its Brown case that schools would be desegregated with all deliberate speed. Senator Richard Russell. Russell Senate Office Building.

Senator Russell proclaimed:

There is no such thing as a little integration.

This is what he said in 1957, he said:

They, meaning Black people, are determined to get into our White schools, and into White restaurants, and into White swimming pools.

He went on and indicated that he would warn his Senate colleagues that this would mean a mongrel race which would result in destroying America. Senator Richard Russell. A Senate office building named in honor of Senator Richard Russell.

He proposed a voluntary racial relocation program to adjust the imbalance of the Negro population between the South and the rest of the country, literally proposed moving Black people to some other States because there were too many in the South. Senator Richard Russell. The Russell Senate Office Building.

When President Truman fought to end segregation in the military, Russell responded with vile, racial libels. Here is what he stated, Senator Richard Russell, these are his words:

The incidence of syphilis, gonorrhea, chancre, and other venereal diseases is appallingly higher among members of the Negro race.

One would say that by this standard, all of us have been maligned, those of us who are members of the Negro race, as he called it.

He declared:

And allowing Black and White troops to serve together is sure to increase the numbers of men who will be disabled through communicable diseases.

The words of Senator Richard Russell.

Yes, the Senate Russell Office Building is named after a self- proclaimed white supremacist. It is a symbol of national shame.

On March 30, 1964, the Southern Bloc of 18 Democratic Senators and one Republican Senator, led by Senator Richard Russell, launched a filibuster to prevent the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, stood in the way of what we now consider some of the great legislative actions that were taken up by the House and the Senate.

Senator Russell proclaimed:

We will resist to the bitter end any measure or any movement which would tend to bring about social equality-- some things bear repeating--we will resist to the bitter end any measure or any movement which would tend to bring about social equality and intermingling and amalgamation of the races in our States.

He voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act which he called short- sighted and disastrous. He added that the civil rights bill's true intended effect was to intermingle races, eliminate States' rights, and abolish the checks and balance system.

A great President from the State of Texas, the Honorable President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed the Civil Rights Act into law. And, as a result, Senator Richard Russell led a southern boycott of the 1964 Democratic National Convention.

I would that many who contend that there is no institutionalized racism could walk in the shoes of those of us who face it, who understand that for us, racism is more than a word.

It can sometimes be a way of life that you have to contend with, even into 2022. The Russell Senate Office Building.

You think I get great pleasure walking through a building named after a person who proclaimed himself a white supremacist? I get no great pleasure in moving through the facility.

And I find this to be very interesting. What the Senate does--the Senate named it. It was the Old Senate Office Building. What the Senate does, the Senate can undo.

This building does not have to bear the name of a white supremacist. This can be changed. We but only have to have the will to do it.

And, unfortunately, too many of us find ourselves having to deal with our concerns of this nature siloed. Siloed. Well, this concerns Black people, and as a result, Black people ought to solve this problem.

That is not the approach that I have taken. Long before I came to Congress, I thought that and still believe that if invidious discrimination exists against anyone, it is everyone's duty, responsibility, and, indeed, an obligation to challenge it. Not for myself, but for humanity.

And there are times when, in so doing, you have to stand alone. But I sincerely believe in the inner sanctum of my soul that it is better to stand alone than not stand at all.

So I stand here tonight acknowledging that on many occasions when it has come to the rights of others, check my voting record. Check my voting record. Where were you, Al Green, when we took up the rights of the LGBTQ community? I was there.

Where were you when we took up the rights of the Latino community? I was there. Babies at the borders.

Where were you when we took up the rights of the Jewish community, those standing up against those who are anti-Semitic? I was there.

So I ask tonight: Where are we, friends, on the Russell Senate Office Building that, to this day, honors a self-proclaimed white supremacist?

This is institutionalized. It is institutionalized because the Congress, by and through the Senate as an institution, made it so.

You want to see institutionalized racism? A picture is worth a thousand words. There it is. That is it. The Russell Senate Office Building. All people of good will ought to want to see this changed.

I am not the first person, by the way, to say that it should be changed. I may be one of many, but as long as I am here, I am going to be fighting to change the name of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Institutionalized racism. A picture of it, worth a thousand words. Emanating from Capitol Hill, a place where we passed civil rights laws, a place where we stand, one would assume, against all forms of invidious discrimination.

No one would have a building on Capitol Hill bear the name of a self- proclaimed white supremacist, but there it is. The Russell Senate Office Building.

Now, friends, I have not said what we should name the building after the name Senator Richard Russell is removed. I have not said that we should name it after any given person. I have not said that we should have a certain process in place to select the name.

I have said let it revert to the name that was there before we named it after a self-proclaimed white supremacist. Let it revert to what it was before, and that was the Old Senate Office Building.

Let it revert and then establish the proper protocols and all of the processes and whatever methodology you choose to select the name.

I believe that we won't make that mistake again, the mistake that we made with Senator Richard Russell, but let's let it revert, and that, we could do overnight. That, we could do overnight.

There is no requirement that we wait months, years, weeks. No requirement. We could change the name to the Old Senate Office Building overnight. We would only have to have the will to do it and believe that in so doing, it won't look like someone made us do it.

You know, that always enters into politics it seems. I shouldn't say always. Too often, we don't do things because we don't want it to seem as though someone made us do it. We have to find our own way to get it done.

We have to allow the parade to turn the corner and then run out in front of it and claim that we were there all the time.

Do whatever you must, but let's take the name off. Let's take Richard Russell's name off of the building.

Friends, if a picture is worth a thousand words, I contend that a song speaks for itself and its writer. A song speaks for itself and its writer. Let's now move on from the Russell Senate Office Building, and let's move on to Stephen Foster. Stephen Foster.

Stephen Foster has a memorial day. Stephen Foster Memorial Day in the United States is a Federal observance day, and we do observe Stephen Foster Day on January 13 annually. Stephen Foster Memorial Day.

Who, pray tell, was Stephen Foster? Well, let's talk about Mr. Foster and some of the lyrics in some of his songs. Not all of his songs, but too many of his songs contained lyrics that are offensive to people of color.

Before we examine the lyrics, let's do this. Let's just explain that you don't get a day in your honor without the consent of the House and the Senate and the President of the United States of America. You don't get a day in your honor without voting. People have to vote. The President has to sign an order.

I will be reading for you the resolution in just a moment, but for now let's look at some of the songs, songs by Stephen C. Foster. Stephen C. Foster. Songs by Stephen C. Foster containing the n-word. Some of you may be familiar with ``Oh! Susanna.''

``Oh! Susanna.'' I trust at home that you can read this. He uses what I consider a demeaning vernacular.

I jump'd aboard the telegraph and

trabbled down de ribber,

De lectrick fluid magnified, and kill'd

500 n-words.

We are not allowed to say the word on the floor, and I appreciate that. I never say it. I am not one of those persons who--in my private life I don't use that word. Song by Stephen C. Foster.

Stephen C. Foster, by the way, was declared the Father of American Music. The Father of American Music. The date that we commemorate or celebrate, however you choose, is January 13 annually. The date was created by H.J. Res. 308, 82nd Congress, introduced in the House on August 2, 1951, passed the House on October 15, 1951, some 74 days after introduction. But 74 days after its introduction, it passed the House. It passed the Senate on October 19, 1951, some 78 days after introduction, and was signed into law by the President of the United States on October 27, 1951, some 86 days after introduction.

One can only but pray that legislation, righteous legislation that benefits people who have been demeaned, people who have been discriminated against, righteous legislation that would benefit them and prevent future discrimination, righteous legislation, would only pray that we could get such timelines for righteous legislation.

Stephen Foster performed in blackface. For those who are not familiar--and by the way, he started this at the age of 9, so he was influenced--blackface, this is a form of art--and I am being kind-- wherein persons who are of European ancestry paint their faces black, and in a sense they perpetrate a vision of Black people as happy-go- lucky dancers, jumping around, simple and good-natured creatures in minstrel shows.

Minstrel shows were a form of racist entertainment developed in the early 19th century consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music performances that depicted people specifically of African descent. The shows were performed by mostly White people in makeup, or blackface as I have explained, for the purpose of playing the role of Black people. Minstrel shows lampooned Black people as dimwitted, lazy, buffoonish, superstitious, and happy-go-lucky. Stephen Foster was a master of minstrel music.

Christy's Minstrels, the most successful minstrel shows of the time, made an arrangement with Foster for the show to be the first to sing his songs. Mr. Foster, if you have a song, a minstrel song, we want to be the first. I can imagine Mr. Christy saying that. He would have the rights to be the first to sing these songs, present these plays demeaning Black people. And Mr. Foster complied.

Before I read the resolution, let's take a look at another song, another song written by the Father of American Folk Music to this day, with a day that is celebrated on January 13 in his honor. The father.

``Old Uncle Ned,'' an excerpt:

Dere was an old n-word,

Dey call'd him Uncle Ned.

He's dead long ago, long ago!

No more work for poor Old Ned.

He's gone where the good n-words go.

The Father of American Folk Music institutionalized racism in song, institutionalized racism because this institution made it so. We. Not us personally, but this House made it so. More about that in just a moment.

Let's look at another song.

``Oh! Lemuel!'' These are excerpts. It reads:

Go down to de cotton field!

Go down, I say!

Go down and call de n-word boys all:

We'll no more today.

The Father of American Folk Music. Proclaimed as such by the United States House of Representatives. Institutionalized as such with the concurrence of the United States Senate. Ordered as such with the signature of the President of the United States of America.

One final one. I shall not read it. I will simply place it before you. I trust that the camera allows you to see the words. ``Away Down Souf,'' s-o-u-f.

So now we find ourselves with a day honoring Stephen Foster by way of a joint resolution, joint resolution authorizing the President--of the United States of America, I might add parenthetically--to proclaim January 13 of each year as Stephen Foster Memorial Day.

It reads, in part, not in total:

``Whereas Stephen Collins Foster has become a national expression of democracy.''

``Stephen Collins Foster has become a national expression of democracy through his clear and simple embodiment of American tradition in his world-famous lyrics.''

So says the House, the Senate, and the President such that we honor him on January 13 every year.

The resolution reads:

``Whereas the songs of Stephen Collins Foster belong to the people''--don't count me among the people that these songs belong to-- ``belong to the people and are the musical essence of democracy. . . .'' This is the musical essence of democracy. What a sad state of affairs that we have to contend with.

``Whereas the songs of Stephen Collins Foster belong to the people and are the musical essence of democracy so that he is now recognized as the father of American folk music and the true interpreter of the fundamental spirit of music.''

Stephen Collins Foster. ``Whereas Stephen Collins Foster symbolizes in his works the unity of mankind through music.'' This is the unity of mankind through music, so says the House, the Senate, and the President, and a day in honor of Stephen Collins Foster. His works symbolize the unity of mankind.

``Resolved by the Senate,'' these are the words. Do a little bit of research, and you can read it in its entirety. I have given you excerpts, but these are the words. ``Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled: That the President of the United States is authorized to issue a proclamation designating January 13 of each year as Stephen Foster Memorial Day, and calling upon the people throughout the United States of America to observe such day with appropriate ceremonies, pilgrimages to his shrines, and musical programs featuring his compositions.'' I assume that would be minstrel shows. ``Approved October 27, 1951.''

I was alive when this was approved. I am the son of a segregated South. I know what racism looks like. I have seen the cross that the Klan burned in my yard. I know what it sounds like having been called these words. I know what it hurts like. I have been to some funerals.

Now, my dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters--and I say such because I am a student of Dr. King. I believe, as he proclaimed, that there really is but one race, and that is the human race. I believe that all persons were created equal from a base black, as Dr. King put it, to a treble white. He went on to say:

Fleecy locks and black complexion

Cannot forfeit nature's claim;

Skins may differ, but affection

Dwells in White and Black the same.

And, ``Were I so tall as to reach the pole or grasp the ocean at a span, I must be measured by my soul. The mind is the standard of the man'' and woman.

I believe this. Because I believe it, I believe that we all have a responsibility to eliminate this institutionalized racism emanating from the Capitol of the United States of America, institutionalized by the Congress, signed into law by the President, institutionalized by the Senate Russell Office Building.

I love my country. I sing the national anthem. There are some parts of it that we may want to address at some point, but I love my country. I say the Pledge of Allegiance. I love my country. It means something to me to have been born in the United States of America. I just want to make America the beautiful a more beautiful America for all Americans.

I want every little Black baby to grow up in a world where we don't have a self-proclaimed white supremacist honored with our tax dollars on a building built with our tax dollars. They deserve that. I would do it for any other subset of this society. I would stand up for you.

When will we stand up against institutionalized racism emanating from the Capitol of the United States of America?

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