Keith Ellison: “tonight, as I stand to pay respects and honor to Julia Carson, I don't believe I will take 5 minutes, but I will say…”

“tonight, as I stand to pay respects and honor to Julia Carson, I don't believe I will take 5 minutes, but I will say that as a freshman Member, I really can't recall some of the great stories that I've heard my friends tell about the great Julia Carson, but I do have my own recollections of her. The most important thing I want to share with people tonight is that, when I just started here and I started getting on my feet and figuring out where the bathrooms were and how to get around the House a little bit, Julia Carson took a moment, Julia Carson had time, Julia Carson and I sat in the chairs of this gallery and talked. And she told me about the struggles that she had to overcome. And she also told me, when I had my first bill, "if you don't put me on that bill right now, boy, I don't know what I'm going to do." And I had to laugh, because the spirit that she had was remarkable, given some of the health problems she was facing. The health problems she was facing may have been a burden, but they were not too great for her to show kindness to a new freshman here in Congress. And so I will always remember Julia Carson, very fond memories of her, and I will always be inspired by the great example that she gave us.”