Mr. President, every day we walk the hallowed Halls of the U.S. Capitol, a building filled with statues, busts, and paintings honoring great Americans--Lincoln, Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., names we will never forget because they are the individuals who built and altered the foundation of this country. But we must also never forget to recognize those Americans who may not appear in our history books but whose contributions have helped write our American story, great Americans like Dr. Margaret Burroughs who became a legend in her own time. Dr. Margaret Burroughs is a true American treasure--an artist, advocate, poet, and progressive. She celebrated her 93rd birthday this month and today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring her. Born in Louisiana before women could vote, Dr. Burroughs moved to the south side of Chicago when she was five, eventually studying at both Englewood High School and Chicago State University. Politically active from an early age, Dr. Burroughs and classmate Gwendolyn Brooks joined the NAACP Youth Council, and her ambitions only grew from there. She taught art at DuSable High School for 23 years, and taught humanities at Kennedy King College for over a decade. For most, a 30-year career teaching thousands of students would be enough. But for Dr. Burroughs, her life in education was just one part of her story. This extraordinary woman always opened her doors to friends and colleagues.…
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