Floor SpeechNeutral2026-09-14

HONORING MR. W. MILLER BARBOUR

TaxesEnvironmentCivil Rights

Context

On 2026-09-14, Representative Scott Perry (R-PA-10) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING MR. W. MILLER BARBOUR" in the House.

Full Text

HONORING MR. W. MILLER BARBOUR

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 144 (Monday, September 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 144 (Monday, September 14, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E914] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING MR. W. MILLER BARBOUR ______ HON. SCOTT PERRY of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Monday, September 14, 2026 Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and recognize civil- and human-rights leader W. Miller Barbour, and commemorate his legacy and contributions to our Nation. While born in Philadelphia in 1908, Mr. Barbour was raised in Middletown, Pennsylvania. Very active in his local church, he witnessed barriers to opportunity in his community that shaped his commitment to equality and social work. Once graduating from Middletown High School, Mr. Barbour attended Elizabethtown College, where he became only the second African American graduate in 1932, and was the first known African American student- athlete to play college football in Lancaster County. After college, Mr. Barbour pursued a career in social work, focusing on the effects of poverty and employment opportunities. He worked directly with young people at Philadelphia's Wharton Center, where he helped address juvenile delinquency and gang violence by promoting mentorship and education. His work was an expression of his belief that, in order to fix social issues, we must first address the poverty and neighborhood environments that lead to them. Mr. Barbour later earned a Masters degree in Social Work from the esteemed University of Pennsylvania. He joined the National Urban League in 1947, becoming Executive Secretary of its Denver affiliate branch, wherein he was a passionate advocate for fair employment and equal economic opportunity, and worked to break down barriers preventing African Americans from participating fully in American life. In 1952, he became Director of the National Urban League's Western Field Office in Los Angeles, where he continued his work fighting for meaningful civil rights reform. In this role, he commissioned a 1952 study analyzing racial relationships and socioeconomic conditions in Richmond, California. He also co-authored The Prospect for Freedom: Human Rights, What Can be Done on the Local Level in 1951, which emphasized the responsibility of local communities to build equal institutions. Mr. Barbour sadly passed away unexpectedly in March 1957. His legacy has endured throughout our communities and Nation. Dauphin County recently proclaimed every July 16th as ``W. Miller Barbour Day,'' and his life also has been recognized by the Pennsylvania State Legislature. Mr. Speaker, I am humbled and honored to recognize Mr. W. Miller Barbour for his selfless and outstanding contributions to the Civil Rights movement, and for his enduring dedication to our local communities, Commonwealth, and our great Nation. His service, leadership, and tireless devotion set the standard by which all should be judged. ____________________

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HONORING MR. W. MILLER BARBOUR Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 144 (Monday, September 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 144 (Monday, September 14, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E914] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING MR. W. MILLER BARBOUR ______ HON. SCOTT PERRY of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Monday, September 14, 2026 Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and recognize civil- and human-rights leader W. Miller Barbour, and commemorate his legacy and contributions to our Nation. While born in Philadelphia in 1908, Mr. Barbour was raised in Middletown, Pennsylvania. Very active in his local church, he witnessed barriers to opportunity in his community that shaped his commitment to equality and social work. Once graduating from Middletown High School, Mr. Barbour attended Elizabethtown College, where he became only the second African American graduate in 1932, and was the first known African American student- athlete to play college football in Lancaster County. After college, Mr. Barbour pursued a career in social work, focusing on the effects of poverty and employment opportunities. He worked directly with young people at Philadelphia's Wharton Center, where he helped address juvenile delinquency and gang violence by promoting mentorship and education. His work was an expression of his belief that, in order to fix social issues, we must first address the poverty and neighborhood environments that lead to them. Mr. Barbour later earned a Masters degree in Social Work from the esteemed University of Pennsylvania. He joined the National Urban League in 1947, becoming Executive Secretary of its Denver affiliate branch, wherein he was a passionate advocate for fair employment and equal economic opportunity, and worked to break down barriers preventing African Americans from participating fully in American life. In 1952, he became Director of the National Urban League's Western Field Office in Los Angeles, where he continued his work fighting for meaningful civil rights reform. In this role, he commissioned a 1952 study analyzing racial relationships and socioeconomic conditions in Richmond, California. He also co-authored The Prospect for Freedom: Human Rights, What Can be Done on the Local Level in 1951, which emphasized the responsibility of local communities to build equal institutions. Mr. Barbour sadly passed away unexpectedly in March 1957. His legacy has endured throughout our communities and Nation. Dauphin County recently proclaimed every July 16th as ``W. Miller Barbour Day,'' and his life also has been recognized by the Pennsylvania State Legislature. Mr. Speaker, I am humbled and honored to recognize Mr. W. Miller Barbour for his selfless and outstanding contributions to the Civil Rights movement, and for his enduring dedication to our local communities, Commonwealth, and our great Nation. His service, leadership, and tireless devotion set the standard by which all should be judged. ____________________