Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and the legacy of Rev. Benjamin Lawson Hooks, who passed away April 15, 2010, at the age of 85. Rev. Hooks was more than just an accomplished man; he was a modern-day pioneer who overcame modern-day struggles. No matter the obstacle, Rev. Hooks continued to fight for equal rights, always believing that tomorrow will be better. In fact, Rev. Hooks was often quoted as saying, ``you have to believe that tomorrow somehow can be, and will be, better than today.'' His mission in life was to make this belief a reality. As the first African-American commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Tennessee's first African-American criminal court judge, and, finally, as the Executive Director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1977 to 1992, Rev. Hooks worked tirelessly to make America a fairer, and more just, nation. Under his leadership of the NAACP, he brought this storied civil rights organization from the brink of financial collapse. Rev. Hooks returned it to stability, increased membership, and created programs such as the NAACP ACT-SO (Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics) competitions, a major youth talent and skill initiative, and Women in the NAACP. Rev. Hooks also was a stalwart in the face of adversity.…”