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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E379-E380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN LOVING MEMORY OF JACK BRYANT
______
HON. JAMES A. HIMES
of connecticut
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Mr. HIMES. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember one life of far
too many we have lost to the sickness spread across our nation,
[[Page E380]]
that of an impactful leader and my good friend, Stamford's own Jack
Bryant. Jack's quiet dignity and ebullient approachability belied the
immense work he accomplished throughout his life, whether most recently
as a member on the Board of Education, his long service in the Stamford
NAACP, including as its president, as a deacon at Faith Tabernacle
Missionary Baptist Church and involved community volunteer, and as a
beloved father and family member. Whenever you needed something good
for the community done, you didn't have to go to Jack. He was already
there, and he welcomed your help with open arms.
Education and opportunity animated Jack. When he ran for Board of
Education, he spoke movingly of his own education at Stamford's
Westhill High, and watching his children achieve their own success. He
dedicated his time and energy to removing the barriers too often found
preventing educational attainment, particularly in communities of
color. He did this civically, frequently coming to the Board of
Education and Stamford's city government to testify and participate,
and he did it through example in the community, leading local high
school student visits to Historically Black Colleges and Universities
for decades. Jack made sure these trips built more than resumes; they
built character. Jack demonstrated how these young men and women could
grow with the opportunities present today and build even stronger
communities in the future by investing their talents in the following
generation.
Nowhere was this more evident than his own family. One of those HBCU
trips resulted in one daughter attending college at Howard University,
then medical school. Today she is on the front lines of saving others
from the devastating consequences of this pandemic. In her grief, his
other daughter celebrates his life and encourages all in the community
to follow in his footsteps. His son coaches at Stamford High, serving
as the same kind of community role model that his father always did.
And countless others are sharing their memories of ``Uncle Jack,'' and
how we can all model our lives in his legacy.
I worked most closely with Jack during his decade-long presidency of
the Stamford NAACP, looking to achieve justice for those who too often
lack it and making sure the least of ours in the community get what
they need in a tough world. We've worked together to register and
empower voters; to combat the scourge of gun violence that claims too
many urban victims; to remedy the historic injustices of our criminal
justice system; and of course to help the next generation seize
opportunities to get a world-beating education and better understand
and improve the world they will soon enter.
Whenever we talked, I came away hopeful. Whenever we worked, I saw
the grateful faces of those he served. Whenever we prayed, I knew
Jack's earnest and sincere pleas flew up to the heavens above.
This world has lost a great leader, and that leader left a great
legacy. I dedicate today to mourning and remembrance, yes, but more so
to furthering his legacy of service and sacrifice, uplifting those who
follow in his path and commending the others so inspired to do so now.
To help feed the hungry, as the number of those who hunger grows; to
provide a better future to the next generation, as the future grows
more perilous; and to always keep fighting for justice and equality for
all. May we all be even half as successful at Jack Bryant was at
leaving the world a better place than we found it and loving our
neighbor even more than ourselves.
____________________
