Austin Scott: “I rise with a heavy heart, indeed, for Maynard Jackson was a very dear and close and personal friend of mine. I say this…”

“I rise with a heavy heart, indeed, for Maynard Jackson was a very dear and close and personal friend of mine. I say this with all sincerity and truthfulness, that had it not been for Maynard Jackson, I would not be here serving in the Congress of the United States. Maynard Jackson ushered in a whole era of black political participation unprecedented. He was a pioneer of soaring magnitude that touched so many people's lives. In 1973 he gave opportunities and hope for so many of us when he ran and was elected to mayor. And to show the kind of person he was, one year later he encouraged me to run for the Georgia House of Representatives to start my career. I was elected as one of the youngest members of the House of Representatives of Georgia. Maynard Jackson, one year after he was elected mayor, was in the street of Atlanta, on the Southside of Atlanta walking day to day and knocking on doors to help get me elected to the Georgia House of Representatives. So I hope you understand me when I say that I stand here with a deep and heavy heart. To me, it is summed up in one word and that is great. Maynard Jackson was a great man.”