Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Edith Irby Jones, a civil rights leader and the first African American graduate at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr. Jones recently passed away at the age of 91. Dr. Jones became a distinguished physician on the national stage and accomplished many firsts for African Americans and women. She was the first African American woman to intern in the State of Arkansas, the first to intern at Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospital, and the first female president of the National Medical Association. As a child, Dr. Jones experienced the deaths of her father and sister and suffered from rheumatic fever that left her temporarily unable to walk or attend school. Despite her hardships, she went on to become the first African American female resident at Baylor and was one of the founders of Mercy Hospital in Houston. When Dr. Jones wasn't practicing medicine, she was in schools and churches, advocating for racial equality. She later became an advocate for underprivileged patients and earned an award for volunteerism and community service by the American College of Physicians. She also has been inducted into both the University of Arkansas College of Medicine Hall of Fame and the inaugural group of women inducted into the Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame. I honor Dr. Jones for her determination, dedication, and contributions to civil rights and enriching the lives of countless Arkansans and Americans.…”