Condemning Threats of Violence Against Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Scott for yielding, and for also working so closely with Representative Adams to get us to this point.

Mr. Speaker, I don't know how we got here, except that I know that we can't, as a Nation, stay at this point. There is no reason that Black colleges and universities, and the students that attend them, ought to be threatened in this sort of way with this sort of almost impunity by racists who think that they can do that and that there will not be a response.

I happen to be chair of the Board of Regents at Morgan State University, a historically Black college, founding itself 4 years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, and has turned out, over that period of time, thousands of bright young people who have come out all over the country and are serving in different capacities.

In my State of Maryland, whether it was Morgan State University, or Coppin State University, or Bowie State, you cannot imagine the sense of uncertainty that students had, knowing that they were under threat and that at any minute something could, in fact, happen.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, for them who are the extensions of a race of people who have suffered, endured, and survived two centuries of slavery, oppression, deprivation, degradation, denial, and disprivilege, none of them should have to matriculate in this country at an institution of higher education under those conditions simply because they are Black.

I strongly urge this condemnation to be approved by this body.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source