Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding an additional minute. In years past, the signs have been stolen, thrown in the river, replaced; shot, replaced again; shot again; defaced with acid; and had ``KKK'' spray-painted on them. The signs were placed near the spot where Mr. Till's body was pulled from the Tallahatchie River in 1955. The 14-year-old was tortured and killed by two White men after false accusations that he flirted with a White woman. His death became an important catalyst in the civil rights movement. With the passage of this bill, we hope to heal the past and present racial injustice. Our country is in need of reconciliation. Lynching claimed the lives of an immeasurable number of African Americans, yet the perpetrators were never held accountable. Conversely, official inaction has left lasting scars on our communities. Today, I represent Mississippi's Second Congressional District, which includes the area where Emmett Till was lynched. His murderers were never held accountable for what they did. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has again expired.”