HONORING AND PAYING TRIBUTE TO SUSIE BEATRICE WEST FRANCIS

On 2026-07-13, Representative Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL-24) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING AND PAYING TRIBUTE TO SUSIE BEATRICE WEST FRANCIS" in the House.

HONORING AND PAYING TRIBUTE TO SUSIE BEATRICE WEST FRANCIS

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E674] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING AND PAYING TRIBUTE TO SUSIE BEATRICE WEST FRANCIS ______ HON. FREDERICA S. WILSON of florida in the house of representatives Monday, July 13, 2026 Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor one of South Florida's most respected and heralded educators and community activists, Susie Beatrice West Francis. Not only was she a beloved mother, wife and sister, but she was dearly loved and respected by the community. She gave of herself selflessly, always there to lend advice and a helping hand. Susie Beatrice West Francis' teaching career started at D.A. Dorsey Junior-Senior High, where she taught home economics to black students. After desegregation, she taught at Westview Middle School. She was known for her elegance, poise and signature white gloves. Mrs. Francis, along with Maude K. Reid and Mayme E. Williams founded The Links Greater Miami Chapter. The volunteer organization helps in civic, corporate and community initiatives. As a Link and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporate, Mrs. Francis raised funds for charity, helped establish scholarships for students, took care of the homeless and helped provide for mothers in need in other countries. Mrs. Francis was married to the late Daniel Francis who was the editor of the Miami Tropical Dispatch, a weekly newspaper for the black community distributed in Overtown. They have one daughter, DanySu F. Pritchett. Mrs. Francis was born in Jacksonville to a father who was a barber and a mother who was a seamstress. Mrs. Francis was raised in Tampa along with seven siblings. She attended Florida A&M University where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in education. I recognize my Soror and Link sister, Susie Beatrice West Francis, and I am honored to pay tribute to her life and legacy. I thank her for her unwavering dedication and commitment to her students and this community. ____________________