Nita Lowey: “I rise today in honor of Ossie Davis, a civil rights advocate, a celebrated actor, dedicated family man, upstanding…”

“I rise today in honor of Ossie Davis, a civil rights advocate, a celebrated actor, dedicated family man, upstanding resident of Westchester County, and my dear friend. I feel very fortunate to have known Ossie and to have represented him and his wife, Ruby Dee, for the last 16 years. Ossie Davis will be remembered by millions of Americans as an outstanding actor. From his very first movie role in the 1950s ``No Way Out'' to roles in such classics as ``Raisin In The Sun,'' ``Roots: The Next Generation,'' ``Miss Evers' Boys,'' Ossie's accomplishments as an actor were truly amazing. He well deserved the many honors and awards he received, most recently as a Kennedy Center Honoree along with his wife, Ruby Dee. But Ossie's legacy goes well beyond all that. His advocacy or civil rights is legendary. At a time when such activism would cost an actor his career, he refused to be silent in the face of injustice and he used his celebrity to draw attention to the plight of African Americans. From his eulogy at the funeral for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to his memorable voice-overs for the United Negro College Fund, uttering the now-famous words, ``A mind is a terrible thing to waste,'' Ossie continued throughout his life to fight for civil rights and he became one of the towering figures in that struggle. I have so much admiration for all that Ossie Davis did for my community, for Westchester County and the Nation. I am proud to have represented him in the Congress.”