Political Quotes

“I rise to honor the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by commending a liberation leader, Frank Chapman. Frank's political education began in St. Louis, where he experienced the violence of racism and repression and was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to 50 years in prison during his twenties. Yet Frank has always been an organizer and educator. Frank taught himself law and launched a movement to desegregate the prison, where Black prisoners had faced brutal and inhumane treatment. The bars in prison didn't break him or limit his spirit. On the contrary, it propelled him to fight for the liberation of those imprisoned and all people. After his release, Frank established himself as a fixture in the struggle for liberation in Chicago and beyond. Whether through his leadership in the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, his successful campaigns for community control of the police, or his solidarity with immigrant communities in the fight to protect our neighbors from ICE, Frank has consistently fought to defend the most fundamental of our collective human rights and our shared liberation. Mr. Speaker, this week carries profound significance for Frank. It marks the 50th anniversary of his release from prison.”