Honoring the Life of Dr. Charles H. Wright

Congressional Record 107th Congress Second Session Thursday, March 14, 2002

Mr. President, I would like to ask the Senate to join me today in extending my condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Charles H. Wright, who passed away on March 7th, 2002. During his eighty-three years, Dr. Wright left an indelible mark on this country through his work as a doctor, a civil rights leader, a community activist and a leader in the national movement to create museums celebrating the history, culture and accomplishments of African Americans.

Legend has it that it was Charles Wright's mother who inspired him to attend medical school, by declaring at age eight that he would become a doctor. Growing up in segregated Alabama, to parents who's own education stopped at elementary school, Wright had to overcome many obstacles to make his mother's dream a reality. But, as those who knew Dr. Wright can attest, he was not one to shy away from a challenge. He did attend medical school, and in 1946 he moved to Detroit, where he served his community as an obstetrician/gynecologist. He delivered more than 7,000 babies, including those of some of my staff. Today, you can still meet adults in Detroit who will refer to themselves as "Dr. Wright's babies."

Dr. Wright was always concerned about the plight of black people, both here and in Africa. He answered the call of Dr. Martin Luther King, traveling to the South to protest and to help those protesters who required medical assistance. He worked to end discrimination in hospitals, where empty beds were being denied to blacks because the hospital refused to put black patients and white patients in the same room together. He traveled to newly post-colonial Africa to work in villages lacking adequate health care resources. He helped raise money so that African children could come to American universities. He was constantly driven to serve others, and to serve those whom he felt he could best help.

Dr. Wright is perhaps best known as the man responsible for Detroit's Museum of African American History, the largest such museum in the world. Inspired by his travels to Africa, and concerned that the children he was helping to bring into the world had no place to learn about themselves and their history, he decided to create a museum dedicated to educating people about the contributions of African Americans to society. In 1965, he opened the International Afro-American Museum in the basement of his home and office. Investing significant amounts of his own money and time into the museum, it eventually outgrew his home and was moved into a new, larger building in the heart of Detroit's University Cultural Center and was renamed the Museum of African American History.

That museum moved again in 1997 to an even larger building, and has received international recognition as one of the finest museums of its kind. In 1998, it was renamed the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in recognition of the vision and dedication of Dr. Wright. Each year millions of Americans of all races visit this museum and learn about the history of African Americans, ensuring that Dr. Wright's legacy will live on and be passed down to future generations.

Dr. Wright's life should serve as an example to all Americans. Throughout all his endeavors, he stressed the values of education, understanding and overcoming obstacles. But perhaps most importantly, he lived his life in service to others. While he will be sorely missed by those whose lives he touched, he will long be remembered for all that he gave.