REMEMBERING DR. RITA JACKSON SAMUELS
April 1, 2020
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and
solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding
businesswoman, dedicated public servant, mentor to many, trailblazer,
and one of Georgia's most prolific women's rights advocates, Dr. Rita
Jackson Samuels. Sadly, Dr. Samuels passed away on Tuesday, March 27,
2018, at the age of 72. Her funeral service was held on Saturday, April
7, 2018, at noon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding
businesswoman, dedicated public servant, mentor to many, trailblazer,
and one of Georgia's most prolific women's rights advocates, Dr. Rita
Jackson Samuels. Sadly, Dr. Samuels passed away on Tuesday, March 27,
2018, at the age of 72. Her funeral service was held on Saturday, April
7, 2018, at noon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
A native of Forsyth, Georgia, Dr. Samuels attended Claflin
University, Morris Brown College, and Georgia State University and
received her Business & Secretarial Science Certification from Dimery's
Business College in Atlanta, Georgia.
University, Morris Brown College, and Georgia State University and
received her Business & Secretarial Science Certification from Dimery's
Business College in Atlanta, Georgia.
As a young woman, she worked as a secretary for the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference under the administrations of several
influential individuals and alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In
1971, Dr. Samuels became the first African-American female in Georgia's
history to serve on the personal staff of a Georgia Governor as then-
Governor Jimmy Carter's Coordinator of the Governor's Council on Human
Relations. Governor Carter personally selected her to oversee the
hanging of the Martin Luther King, Jr. portrait in the Georgia State
Capitol. After Carter became president, she worked as a consultant with
his White House Staff in 1977. In 1983, served as Director of the Office of
Citizens & Community Affairs under former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young
and on the national board of a National Anti-Poverty Rural Development
Agency.
Christian Leadership Conference under the administrations of several
influential individuals and alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In
1971, Dr. Samuels became the first African-American female in Georgia's
history to serve on the personal staff of a Georgia Governor as then-
Governor Jimmy Carter's Coordinator of the Governor's Council on Human
Relations. Governor Carter personally selected her to oversee the
hanging of the Martin Luther King, Jr. portrait in the Georgia State
Capitol. After Carter became president, she worked as a consultant with
his White House Staff in 1977. In 1983, served as Director of the Office of
Citizens & Community Affairs under former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young
and on the national board of a National Anti-Poverty Rural Development
Agency.
Dr. Samuels was not only a dedicated public servant but also a strong
and passionate innovator and activist who fought tirelessly to preserve
women's history and made sure that the achievements of African-American
women were properly recognized. She founded the Georgia Coalition of
Black Women, Inc. in 1981; advocated for the creation of the Georgia
Commission on Women in 1991 and the Atlanta Commission on Women in
2001; and was the co-founder of the Georgia Coalition for the People's
Agenda and Women Flying High, LLC, a 100 percent female-owned business
enterprise that is dedicated to increasing women's share of public and
private sector contracts, in 2005. She also founded ``The Ballot
Power'' of Women Voters Lecture Series and the Women in Government
Internship and produced ``Sisterhood Voices'' on the Air Radio Show.
She helped to launch the careers of several African-American woman
leaders from rural Georgia counties who would go on to serve as mayors,
commissioners, and judges.
and passionate innovator and activist who fought tirelessly to preserve
women's history and made sure that the achievements of African-American
women were properly recognized. She founded the Georgia Coalition of
Black Women, Inc. in 1981; advocated for the creation of the Georgia
Commission on Women in 1991 and the Atlanta Commission on Women in
2001; and was the co-founder of the Georgia Coalition for the People's
Agenda and Women Flying High, LLC, a 100 percent female-owned business
enterprise that is dedicated to increasing women's share of public and
private sector contracts, in 2005. She also founded ``The Ballot
Power'' of Women Voters Lecture Series and the Women in Government
Internship and produced ``Sisterhood Voices'' on the Air Radio Show.
She helped to launch the careers of several African-American woman
leaders from rural Georgia counties who would go on to serve as mayors,
commissioners, and judges.
Over the course of her life, she served as on a variety of boards and
in a number of organizations at the local, state, and national levels.
She also received numerous awards and commendations, including ``Keys
to the City'' of several cities, including her hometown of Forsyth,
Georgia. Governor Joe Frank Harris appointed her to the State Martin
Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission and appointed her as the first
African American to serve on the Georgia State Election Board. She was
subsequently reappointed to the King Commission by Governors Zell
Miller and Roy Barnes.
in a number of organizations at the local, state, and national levels.
She also received numerous awards and commendations, including ``Keys
to the City'' of several cities, including her hometown of Forsyth,
Georgia. Governor Joe Frank Harris appointed her to the State Martin
Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission and appointed her as the first
African American to serve on the Georgia State Election Board. She was
subsequently reappointed to the King Commission by Governors Zell
Miller and Roy Barnes.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ``Life's most persistent and
urgent question is, `What are you doing to help others?' '' Dr. Samuels
undoubtedly lived by this philosophy as she committed a prodigious
amount of time and love in service to others and shared her enthusiasm
and wisdom to better those around her. Moreover, The great Agricultural
chemist George Washington Carver once said that, ``It does not matter
how much money you have in the bank; it does not matter what kind of
car you drive; it does not matter how big the house is that you live
in; it does not matter what type of profession you might be involved
in; what matters in this life and what we all will be judged by is what
we have done in this life as far as service to humanity.'' Rita served
humanity well and carried out God's purpose for her life.
urgent question is, `What are you doing to help others?' '' Dr. Samuels
undoubtedly lived by this philosophy as she committed a prodigious
amount of time and love in service to others and shared her enthusiasm
and wisdom to better those around her. Moreover, The great Agricultural
chemist George Washington Carver once said that, ``It does not matter
how much money you have in the bank; it does not matter what kind of
car you drive; it does not matter how big the house is that you live
in; it does not matter what type of profession you might be involved
in; what matters in this life and what we all will be judged by is what
we have done in this life as far as service to humanity.'' Rita served
humanity well and carried out God's purpose for her life.
Rita leaves behind her loving husband of many years, Stanley, and a
host of family and friends who will miss her deeply. She was a longtime
member of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
host of family and friends who will miss her deeply. She was a longtime
member of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
On a personal note, Rita was a dear friend of longstanding and valued
supporter. I will miss the very sage counsel that she imparted to me
over the years.
supporter. I will miss the very sage counsel that she imparted to me
over the years.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife Vivian and me, along
with the more than 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District,
in paying tribute to Dr. Rita Jackson Samuels, for her legacy of
service to the state of Georgia, and extending our deepest condolences
to Rita's family and friends. We pray that they will be consoled and
comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks,
and months ahead.
with the more than 730,000 people of the Second Congressional District,
in paying tribute to Dr. Rita Jackson Samuels, for her legacy of
service to the state of Georgia, and extending our deepest condolences
to Rita's family and friends. We pray that they will be consoled and
comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks,
and months ahead.