Kendrick Meek: “I rise today in sadness for the loss of what I call an urban patriot, a young man by the name of William ``Billy'' Rolle…”

“I rise today in sadness for the loss of what I call an urban patriot, a young man by the name of William ``Billy'' Rolle who resided in Coconut Grove, Florida. He not only resided there, Mr. Speaker, but he helped to build the youth of that community. Not only did he build the youth, but he also helped the elderly. He closed the gap between youth and old age by working very hard with all people in Miami and in Dade County. Billy Rolle was a jazz man. He played the saxophone, not only from the rhythmic standpoint of playing the keys on the saxophone, but he did it from the standpoint of training young people in music. He trained them in athletics. He had an AAU track team. He did everything he could to help the young people in Miami. Mr. Speaker, Billy Rolle did not have all the money that government puts into programs, but what ``Billy'' Rolle did was to put himself into these programs, to train these young people, take them off the street, to be sure that they learned many things that would improve their quality of life. It is such a time now that we grieve the death of William ``Billy'' Rolle, because he died an untimely death.”