On the recordMay 18, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of one of our Nation's greatest leaders and, for me, in my young career, a mentor and good friend, William Coleman, Jr., who passed away earlier this year at the age of 96. Throughout his long career, Bill helped shape the future of our country in a past full of racial tension. In 1948, Bill became the first African American to serve as a law clerk on the United States Supreme Court, and helped draft the legal brief for the landmark 1954 case, Brown v. Board of Education. Bill later became our Nation's second African-American Cabinet official, serving as Transportation Secretary for Gerald Ford. I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his family, his loved ones, his former law partners, and his staff. ____________________
