December 19, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 206 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1617-E1618]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE EXEMPLARY LIFE AND SERVICE OF MAYOR RICHARD GORDON HATCHER

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 19, 2019

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, it is with deep sadness and the 
greatest respect that I take this time to remember one of Indiana's 
most distinguished citizens, the Honorable Richard Gordon Hatcher, who 
served the City of Gary with the utmost distinction. On Friday, 
December 13, 2019, Mayor Hatcher passed away at the age of 86. Mayor 
Hatcher's selfless and lifelong commitment to serving the people of 
Gary, and his dedication to the

[[Page E1618]]

cause of civil rights and advancing racial equality in all of our 
communities and throughout the nation, is to be admired and emulated. 
He will be profoundly missed by his family, friends, co-workers, and 
the many grateful constituents whose lives he touched.
   Richard Hatcher was born on July 10, 1933, in Michigan City, 
Indiana. He graduated from Indiana University and went on to earn his 
Juris Doctor degree from Valparaiso University in 1959. Following law 
school, Mayor Hatcher settled in Gary, Indiana. He practiced at a 
private firm and went on to serve as a deputy county prosecutor. In 
1963, Mayor Hatcher was elected to the Gary City Council. In this 
position, he helped to pass an open housing law, which ended the 
practice that forced African Americans to live primarily in the city's 
midtown section due to restrictive property contracts. In 1967, Richard 
Gordon Hatcher was elected Mayor of Gary, Indiana, and in doing so 
became one of the first two African Americans in our nation's history 
to become mayor of a large city.
   Throughout his twenty-year tenure, Mayor Hatcher was unwavering and 
passionate in his efforts to advocate for civil rights, economic 
justice, and equality for all Gary residents and citizens of the United 
States. In particular, Mayor Hatcher devoted substantial efforts to 
supporting those most in need in his city. For example, he was 
successful in securing funding for low-cost and public housing in Gary, 
and he worked to enhance the availability of job training so that every 
citizen could have the opportunity to meet their own potential and 
provide for their family. In addition, Mayor Hatcher repaved Gary 
roads, brought garbage collection services to inner-city neighborhoods 
for the first time, and oversaw the construction and completion of 
major projects such as the Genesis Convention Center and the Adam J. 
Benjamin Transportation Center. On the national front, Mayor Hatcher 
rose to serve as a political trailblazer for the African American 
community. He was instrumental in organizing the 1972 National Black 
Political Convention in Gary, and he also served as chairman of Rev. 
Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign in 1984, as well as his vice 
chairman four years later. Mayor Hatcher's contributions to the City of 
Gary, throughout Northwest Indiana, and beyond are remarkable and 
immeasurable, and he is to be honored and commended for his tireless 
action.
   Mayor Hatcher is survived by his amazing wife, Ruthellyn, three 
beloved daughters, Ragen, Rachelle, and Renee, and six beautiful 
grandchildren. He also leaves to cherish his memory many dear friends 
and family members and a saddened but grateful community.
   Madam Speaker, I respectfully ask that you and my other 
distinguished colleagues join me in paying tribute to a true public 
servant, Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher. For his tremendous contributions 
to the cause of civil rights, and for his dedication to the City of 
Gary and the community of Northwest Indiana, Mayor Hatcher is worthy of 
the highest praise. I thank him for his perseverance, sacrifice, and 
struggle. His legacy will serve as a timeless inspiration for 
generations to come.

                          ____________________