Congressional Black Caucus statement on Stephanie Tubbs Jones

Statement on the Death of Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones Thursday, August 21, 2008 Contact Mark S. Allen @ 773-392-0165 "I am deeply saddened by the untimely death of Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. It is certainly ironic that as I learned of the circumstances of Congresswoman Jones death, that this same week my own cousin suffered an aneurysm and was placed on life support and ultimately died. My sympathies to Tubb Jones' family, for I certainly know and had to experience the same internal family struggles. Only the almighty and eternal God, in whose hands all of our lives rest, can see you through times like these. Tubbs Jones was truly a freedom fighter and I am grateful to God that I was able to know her, work directly with her, and learn from her grassroots leadership. She of course excelled in her professional positions, but she was so committed as an individual to the empowerment of Black and progressive people at the grassroots level. I was a national field staff member to the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr during his 1988 Presidential Campaign and I was assigned to work the State of Ohio, and there was no such thing as trying to do political organizing in Ohio and not have to interact with Stephanie Tubbs Jones. She had tremendous energy as she spent her free time working with us many late nights and early mornings. You could not help but be moved and inspired by her spirit, and the way she looked you eye to eye and backed with that confident smile. Stephanie Tubbs Jones was certainly an inspiration to me as a young leader and I am certainly glad that I was blessed to have been able to work directly with her and will cherish those precious memories, and to know that her position as Congresswoman will forever be recorded in Black and American history." Mark S. Allen Associate Editor The South Street Journal Newspaper *Veteran Political activist with over 30 "straight years in public service on local, state and national levels, including 7 years as a national staff member to the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr *Former talk show host on the legendary Black/News Talk Station WVON *Who's Who Among African Americans *Who's Who In Black Chicago