Danny Davis: “I rise today as we continue to celebrate the achievements and milestones that comprise black history. Indeed, my remarks…”

“I rise today as we continue to celebrate the achievements and milestones that comprise black history. Indeed, my remarks proclaim how far we have come and chronicle the lives of historical individuals of preceding generations. There are trailblazers today as well, and I appreciate the opportunity to pay tribute to my friend, Professor Haki Madhubuti. In August 2001, Professor Madhubuti was appointed Distinguished Professor by Chicago State University, the first African American male to obtain this distinction in Chicago State University's 135-year history. Born Donald Luther Lee in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1951, Haki Madhubuti is an influential poet, essayist, activist, and editor. As a child, he moved to Chicago and later attended the University of Illinois, Roosevelt University, and earned his Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Iowa. According to Professor Madhubuti, "Ideas are important. The writing of ideas, the publishing of ideas, and the purveying of ideas. So at 17 years old, I got into the idea business: thinking them, writing them, and later on at publishing them." Consequently, he is the author of more than 20 books, including "Heart Love: Wedding & Love Poems"; "Groundwork and Selected Poems of Haki R. Madhubuti Don L.”