Congressional Gold Medal Recipients

 

CONGRESS HONORS CLARENDON COUNTY 

CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEERS



Rev. Joseph Armstrong De Laine, Sr.



Mr. Levi Pearson




Mr. Harry Briggs, Sr. and his wife Mrs. Eliza Briggs

An Act to Award Congressional Gold Medals Posthumously on Behalf of Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, Harry and Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson in Recognition of Their Contributions to the Nation as Pioneers in the Effort to Desegregate Public Schools That Led Directly to the Landmark Desegregation Case of Brown et al, Versus the Board of Education of Topeka et al.








See the Presentation

 

Oliver Browns name appears first on the most famous desegregation case in the nations history, Brown v. Board of Education. He was a welder for the Santa Fe Railroad and a part-time assistant pastor at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church. Approved December 15, 2003. Public Law 108-180. H.R. 3287 House Passes Congressman Clyburns Bill to Honor Clarendon County Desegregation Heroes






Will Award J.A. DeLaine, Harry & Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson the Congressional Gold Medal (Washington, DC) - Four Clarendon County natives, who were heroes in the fight to desegregate public schools, are one step closer to receiving national recognition for their sacrifices. Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to award


Reverend Joseph DeLaine,


Harry and Eliza Briggs, and


Levi Pearson the Congressional Gold Medal.                The legislations sponsor, Sixth District Congressman James E. Clyburn (D-SC), took to the floor of the House last night to urge his colleagues to join with the 299 co-sponsors in support this well-deserved recognition.   Mr. Speaker, if not for the personal sacrifices of those like Rev. Delaine, Mr. Pearson, the Briggs, and many others, known and unknown, I and others like me may have never experienced membership in this body, Congressman Clyburn said.  This bill reminds us that it was the actions of a preacher & educator, a farmer, a gas station attendant, and motel maid that initiated the efforts that changed American society forever.  And I hope that our actions here tonight reminds all Americans that it is not our stations in life that makes us worthy of honor and recognition, but our commitment to the principals and pursuit of the promise that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.                Reverend DeLaine was the organizer of the desegregation lawsuits filed in Clarendon County .  As a result of his efforts, his home and church were attacked, and when he tried to fight back a warrant was sworn out for his arrest.  He fled South Carolina , and was never allowed to return.               Harry and Eliza Briggs are the namesakes of



Briggs v. Elliott, the Clarendon County case that was later incorporated into



Brown v. Board of Education.  Because they were plaintiffs in this lawsuit, Harry Briggs lost his job as a gas station attendant and Eliza Briggs was fired as a domestic worker in a local motel.  Mr. Briggs had to move to Florida to find work to support his family back home.               Levi Pearson filed the first lawsuit to desegregate Clarendon County schools, which was thrown out on a technicality.  It was the precursor to
Briggs v. Elliott, and he suffered despite the suits dismissal.  As a local farmer, no bank would provide him credit and no white business owners would purchase Mr. Pearsons timber.  However, he remained in the area and continued to be an outspoken voice in the civil rights movement.                  These are ordinary people who became extraordinary because of their actions, Congressman Clyburn said.  The lesson taught by these four individuals is that honor is not earned by titles, wealth or connections, but by your contributions to mankind.  Awarding these medals will serve to honor their enduring legacy.               Congressman Clyburn hopes to present the Congressional Gold Medals to the families of the honorees as part of the 50^th anniversary celebration of
Brown v. Board of Education.      #   #   #   There are 4 versions of Bill Number H.R.3287 for the 108th Congress

1 . To award congressional gold medals posthumously on behalf of Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, Harry and Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson in recognition of their contributions to the Nation... (Introduced in House)[H.R.3287.IH]


2 . To award congressional gold medals posthumously on behalf of Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, Harry and Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson in recognition of their contributions to the Nation... (Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by House)[H.R.3287.EH]


3 . To award congressional gold medals posthumously on behalf of Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, Harry and Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson in recognition of their contributions to the Nation... (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)[H.R.3287.ENR]


4 . To award congressional gold medals posthumously on behalf of Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, Harry and Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson in recognition of their contributions to the Nation... (Received in Senate from House)[H.R.3287.RDS]

One Hundred Eighth Congress

of the

United States of America AT THE FIRST SESSION Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, the seventh day of January, two thousand and three

An Act To award congressional gold medals posthumously on behalf of Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, Harry and Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson in recognition of their contributions to the Nation as pioneers in the effort to desegregate public schools that led directly to the landmark desegregation case of Brown et al. v. the Board of Education of Topeka et al. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds as follows: (1) The Reverend Joseph Armstrong DeLaine, one of the true heroes of the civil rights struggle, led a crusade to break down barriers in education in South Carolina. (2) The efforts of Reverend DeLaine led to the desegregation of public schools in the United States, but forever scarred his own life. (3) In 1949, Joseph DeLaine, a minister and school principal, organized African-American parents in Summerton, South Carolina, to petition the school board for a bus for black students, who had to walk up to 10 miles through corn and cotton fields to attend a segregated school, while the white children in the school district rode to and from school in nice clean buses. (4) In 1950, these same parents, including Harry and Eliza Briggs, sued to end public school segregation in Briggs et al. v. Elliott et al., one of 5 cases that collectively led to the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision of Brown et al. v. Board of Education of Topeka et al. (5) Because of his participation in the desegregation movement, Reverend DeLaine was subjected to repeated acts of domestic terror in which-- (A) he, along with 2 sisters and a niece, lost their jobs; (B) he fought off an angry mob; (C) he received frequent death threats; and (D) his church and his home were burned to the ground. (6) In October 1955, after Reverend DeLaine relocated to Florence County in South Carolina, shots were fired at the DeLaine home, and because Reverend DeLaine fired back to mark the car, he was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill. (7) The shooting incident drove him from South Carolina to Buffalo, New York, where he organized an African Methodist Episcopal Church. (8) Believing that he would not be treated fairly by the South Carolina judicial system if he returned to South Carolina, Reverend DeLaine told the Federal Bureau of Investigation, `I am not running from justice but injustice', and it was not until 2000 (26 years after his death and 45 years after the incident) that Reverend DeLaine was cleared of all charges relating to the October 1955 incident. (9) Reverend DeLaine was a humble and fearless man who showed the Nation that all people, regardless of the color of their skin, deserve a first-rate education, a lesson from which the Nation has benefited immeasurably. (10) Reverend DeLaine deserves rightful recognition for the suffering that he and his family endured to teach the Nation one of the great civil rights lessons of the last century. (11) Like the Reverend DeLaine and Harry and Eliza Briggs, Levi Pearson was an integral participant in the struggle to equalize the educational experiences of white and black students in South Carolina. (12) Levi Pearson, with the assistance of Reverend Joseph DeLaine, filed a lawsuit against the Clarendon County School District to protest the inequitable treatment of black children. (13) As a result of his lawsuit, Levi Pearson also suffered from acts of domestic terror, such as the time gun shots were fired into his home, as well as economic consequences: local banks refused to provide him with credit to purchase farming materials and area farmers refused to lend him equipment. (14) Although his case was ultimately dismissed on a technicality, Levi Pearson's courage to stand up for equalized treatment and funding for black students served as the catalyst for further attempts to desegregate South Carolina schools, as he continued to fight against segregation practices and became President of Clarendon County Chapter of the NAACP. (15) When Levi Pearson's litigation efforts to obtain equalized treatment and funding for black students were stymied, Harry and Eliza Briggs, a service station attendant and a maid, continued to fight for not only equalized treatment of all children but desegregated schools as well. (16) As with Reverend DeLaine and Levi Pearson, the family of Harry and Eliza Briggs suffered consequences for their efforts: Harry and Eliza both were fired from their jobs and forced to move their family to Florida. (17) Although they and their family suffered tremendously, Harry and Eliza Briggs were also pioneers leading the effort to desegregate America's public schools.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED- In recognition of the contributions of Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, Harry and Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson to the Nation as pioneers in the effort to desegregate public schools that led directly to the landmark desegregation case of Brown et al. v. the Board of Education of Topeka et al., the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design, to Joseph De Laine, Jr., as next of kin of Reverend Joseph A. DeLaine, and to the next of kin or other personal representative of Harry and Eliza Briggs and of Levi Pearson. (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING- For the purposes of the awards referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the `Secretary') shall strike 3 gold medals with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.

SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medals struck pursuant to section 2, under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, and at a price sufficient to cover the costs thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medals.

SEC. 4. STATUS AS NATIONAL MEDALS.

(a) NATIONAL MEDALS- The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS- For purposes of section 5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

SEC. 5. FUNDING.

(a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS- There is authorized to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the cost of the medals authorized by this Act. (b) PROCEEDS OF SALE- Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. Speaker of the House of Representatives. Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.   Congressman Clyburn and Senator Hollings Unveil Gold Medal Honoring South Carolina Desegregation Heroes
August 31 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman James E. Clyburn and Senator Fritz Hollings today released illustrations of the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor that will be presented to the families of four South Carolina desegregation heroes on Wednesday, September 8th at 2:00 p.m. in the Capitol Rotunda.

The medal contains the likenesses of Joseph A. DeLaine, Harry and Eliza Briggs, and Levi Pearson under the heading Briggs v. Elliott, "Our Trust In God." These figures are flanked on either side by Palmetto trees, the State Tree of South Carolina, and across the bottom is emblazoned Brown v. Board of Education. The reverse side depicts Lady Justice and the heading Honoring the Pioneers and Petitioners from Clarendon County, South Carolina. The back includes a quote from Judge J. Waites Waring's dissenting opinion in the Briggs v. Elliott case that the petitioners proved "that segregation in education can never produce equality and that it is an evil that must be eradicated." Under the quote is inscribed Act of Congress 2003, commemorating the passage of the legislation introduced by Congressman Clyburn in the House and Senator Hollings in the Senate to award the medal of honor.

"This medal captures the heroism of the honorees and inspires all of us with its message that justice can only prevail when all races are treated equally just as we are in the eyes of the Creator in whom these pioneers placed their faith," Congressman Clyburn said. "The design was intended to reflect the recipients' connection to South Carolina while recognizing their impact on the entire nation."

"The medal depicts four valiant Americans who changed history in the most significant judicial decision of the last century," Senator Hollings said. "The words of Judge Waring on the medal are so appropriate because he was the lone voice on the right side in the case. I look forward to presenting the medal to the honorees' families next week, for what they did 50 years ago had a great impact on me personally."

The families of each of the recipients will receive a medal that is 3 inches in diameter and contains approximately ounces of gold. The U.S. Mint also produces bronze replicas in both a 3- inch and an inch-and-a-half size that will be available for public purchase.

The medals took several months to design. Members of the families worked with the U.S. Mint, Congressman Clyburn and Senator Hollings to create a design that embodied the spirit of the honorees and the importance of their contribution.

Briggs v. Elliot The Briggs case was named for Harry Briggs, one of twenty parents who brought suit against R.W. Elliot, the president of the school board for Clarendon County, South Carolina. Initially, parents had only asked the county to provide school buses for the black students as they did for whites. When their petitions were ignored, they filed a suit challenging segregation itself. Reverend J. A. DeLaine, a school principal, was instrumental in recruiting the parent plaintiffs and enlisting the help of the NAACP. Thurgood Marshall, lead counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Inc., and Harold Boulware, a local lawyer, filed Briggs v. Elliot in the fall of 1950. A three-judge panel at the U.S. District Court was presented with substantial psycholog-ical evidence and expert testimony presented on African-American school conditions. The court denied the plaintiffs request to abolish school segregation. Instead , they ordered the school board to begin equalization of the schools. In a lone dissenting opinion, Judge Julius Waring adamantly opposed segregation in public education. Facing retaliation from irate segregationists, Waring left the state soon after. J.A. DeLaine and Harry Briggs also lost their jobs as a result of their involvement with the case.


 Judge Julius Waring, who presided over Briggs v. Elliott.




Museum With a Mission



Tuesday, May. 11, 2004; 3:20 PM Racism, violence and the 1954 Supreme Court decision to desegregate Americas schools are topics that are covered in the new exhibits at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, Kan. In this video, two National Park Service officials give an overview and tour of the site, formerly known as Monroe Elementary School. The building once housed a segregated school for black children and became a focal point in the case known as /Oliver Brown et al. v. the Board of Education of Topeka/. In that case, African American plaintiffs sued after being refused admission to white schools in their neighborhoods.

Interviews with:
Steve Adams, Superintendent of Brown v. Board of Education Historic Site