[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H829-H830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1630
JULIUS L. CHAMBERS CIVIL RIGHTS MEMORIAL POST OFFICE
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4981) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 2505 Derita Avenue in Charlotte, North Carolina, as
the ``Julius L. Chambers Civil Rights Memorial Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4981
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. JULIUS L. CHAMBERS CIVIL RIGHTS MEMORIAL POST
OFFICE.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 2505 Derita Avenue in Charlotte, North
Carolina, shall be known and designated as the ``Julius L.
Chambers Civil Rights Memorial Post Office''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Julius L. Chambers Civil Rights Memorial
Post Office''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr.
Meadows) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan.
General Leave
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on this matter.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of
H.R. 4981 to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 2505 Derita Avenue in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the
Julius L. Chambers Civil Rights Memorial Post Office.
I thank Representative Alma Adams for introducing this bill to honor
Julius Chambers, a civil rights icon.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume the gentlewoman
from North Carolina (Ms. Adams).
Ms. ADAMS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman from Michigan for
yielding, as well the gentleman from North Carolina.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4981, which would
designate the U.S. Post Office facility at 2505 Derita Avenue in
Charlotte, North Carolina, as the Julius L. Chambers Civil Rights
Memorial Post Office.
Julius LeVonne Chambers was born in Mount Gilead, North Carolina, in
1935. When he was young, a White man stole from his father, an auto
mechanic, by refusing to pay a substantial bill. When attorneys in
Mount Gilead refused to hear his father's case because his father was
Black, Julius Chambers vowed to become a lawyer himself.
At North Carolina Central University--then the North Carolina College
at Durham--for his undergraduate education, Chambers served as student
body president. While attending UNC-Chapel Hill for law school, Julius
Chambers was the first African American editor in chief of that
school's prestigious law review.
Upon graduating and moving to Charlotte in 1964, Julius Chambers
began a prolific legal career that would see him fight for justice and
equality. He founded his own law firm and immediately began to litigate
key discrimination cases after White firms would not hire him. Mr.
Chambers' firm would later become North Carolina's first integrated law
firm, Ferguson Chambers & and Sumter, P.A. It is still in operation
today.
Notably, in 1970, Chambers argued successfully before the U.S.
Supreme Court in the landmark Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of
Education that resulted in the desegregation of the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg school system.
As he fought for equality, there were many who fought to stop him. In
January 1965, his car was burned. In November 1965, his home was
bombed. And in February 1971, his office was firebombed.
According to The New York Times: ``His response was defiant; he said
he would `keep fighting.' It was also measured. `We must accept this
type of practice,' he said, `from those less in control of their
faculties.'''
Though he endured hardships, he did not grow weary of his mission. As
he grew into one of the Nation's most accomplished civil rights
lawyers, Julius Chambers would go on to lead the NAACP Legal Defense
and Educational Fund for over 9 years, where he continued to fight for
social justice and equality.
[[Page H830]]
He would later return to North Carolina Central University to serve
as chancellor, where he proudly cultivated young minds from 1993 until
2001.
After a lifetime of service to others, Julius L. Chambers passed away
at the age of 76 in 2013.
Mr. Speaker, my State and our Nation are undoubtedly better because
of the life of Julius L. Chambers. I admired this man, and I was
pleased to know him and had many conversations with him during his
lifetime.
During this Black History Month, I hope that my colleagues will join
me in voting in favor of this legislation and help me honor this civil
rights legend in a community that he worked so hard to improve.
I thank my colleague, Mr. Meadows, and all of my colleagues from
North Carolina and that delegation for supporting this legislation.
Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4981 introduced by my good
friend, the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Adams).
Certainly, she has gone over all the reasons why support for this
measure is not only demanded, but it is certainly deserved. I would
just join her in asking my colleagues to support it, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
to urge the passage of H.R. 4981.
Mr. Speaker, this is such a significant opportunity for us in
Congress to be able to recognize lifelong accomplishments that are
above the norm, people who give their lives so that their names will
never be forgotten.
It is with great honor that we recognize a queen, a saint, and now a
civil rights leader, and I urge the passage of H.R. 4981.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4981.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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