Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, the city of Memphis and the United States lost a great clergyman and civil rights leader this past week in Reverend Samuel ``Billy'' Kyles. Samuel ``Billy'' Kyles was born in Mississippi, moved to Chicago, but found his home and his purpose in Memphis, Tennessee, where he founded Monumental Baptist Church and served there for 55 years. He was a courageous man who helped integrate the Memphis schools. One of his daughters was one of the 13 young children that integrated the schools. He got on a bus and refused to go to the back of the bus in 1964 with six others and helped integrate the buses in Memphis. His life was dedicated to civil rights, making Memphis better, and serving his church members. He is well known and remembered for being at the Lorraine Motel on the day that Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968. On that occasion, he was near Dr. King and was a witness to the assassination, which he told people about throughout the country and is part of a documentary film called ``The Witness.'' He remembered Dr. King's work to all, witnessed what he did and what happened in Memphis. He lived his life as Dr. King would have wanted: trying to move civil rights forward and making America the country that it was supposed to be. A life well lived. ____________________”