Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, this weekend, South Carolina lost one of its greatest leaders, United States District Judge Matthew J. Perry. Judge Perry symbolized courage and leadership and was a towering figure during the civil rights movement of the 1950s through the 1970s. After having served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 as a sergeant in the Quartermaster Corps, Judge Perry graduated from South Carolina State with a B.S. in business. He went on to graduate from South Carolina State Law School in 1951. As a young attorney, Judge Perry established his credibility in South Carolina by defending many of the students protesting segregation during sit-ins. In 1976, he was nominated by Senator Strom Thurmond to the U.S. Military Court of Appeals in Washington. In 1979, he was the first African American to be appointed as a U.S. District Judge for South Carolina. He has been the recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor of the State of South Carolina. Our Nation has truly lost a legend who has made a difference for all of the people of South Carolina. In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism. ____________________”