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IN HONOR OF ARCHIE SPIGNER
______
HON. GREGORY W. MEEKS
of new york
in the house of representatives
Monday, June 28, 2021
Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to the honorable life of Archie Spigner, whom I will remember as a distinguished constituent, friend, and mentor. Archie was and will always be my Jackie Robinson. The road for Black political leaders in my district, in Queens and in New York City is a much smoother one today because Archie paved that road for us. However, metaphorical roads were not the only ones he dedicated his life to.
Archie knew the streets of Southeast Queens better than anyone I've ever met. As a public servant for over 20 years, Archie spent his career building better roads, as well as better schools, train lines, senior programs, housing programs, and sewers. It was often said that the roads to public office in our neighborhoods ran through Archie. His life was truly dedicated to our community, and his accomplishments are evidence.
Born in South Carolina during the height of Jim Crow and segregation, Archie leaves this Earth as the godfather of politics in Queens and boasts several Black elected officials including myself that called him
``mentor''.
While studying parliamentary procedure he became a steward at a shoe factory which led to his career advocating for the common worker. As a labor organizer, he met A. Philip Randolph, one of the principal architects of the March on Washington. He founded the Queens Branch of the Negro American Labor Council right out of his living room. His work as an organizer put him in close contact with his political mentors including Assembly Member Guy R. Brewer and State Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Browne.
While attending Queens College of the City of University of New York where he would earn his bachelor's degree, he worked as the liaison to the African American community for Queens Borough President Sidney Leviss. Soon after the New York City Council was expanded, Archie was elected to represent the 27th District, where he would go on to serve for 27 years. During his tenure, he chaired three committees: The Legislative Office of Budget Review, Economic Development, and Housing and Buildings. His work with the budget review office led to the creation of the ever-important independent budget office. He also championed some of the borough's first Business Improvement Districts and Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Programs while on the Economic Development Committee.
Somehow he managed to have ``free'' time and spent it serving as Deputy Majority Leader and Co-Chair of the Queens Delegation. Archie spent every moment he could helping his community and his accomplishments are all over Queens. He established mandatory sensitivity trainings for every police precinct in the city. He helped create York College, along with many new middle and high schools. He codified protections against red lining and worked on a number of infrastructure projects, including the incorporation of the E train extension, new sewers, street rehabilitation, and the New Social Security building. The systemic problems being grappled by this House today were no strangers to Archie, and he dedicated a career in public office to alleviating those burdens that continuously plague underserved communities. Mostly, however, Archie just wanted to help his neighbors.
Before I first ran for Congress, Archie told me, ``make sure you always help people, be honest with people, and stay on the ground.'' After his tenure as a City Council Member, Archie went back to his neighborhood and became a district leader in the Queens County Democratic Party and was head of the Guy R. Brewer United Democratic Club, named after his old mentor. Cementing his mark on the community, I introduced a bill in 2004 to rename a St. Albans post office after him, which at the time, was the only commemoration of its kind to be ever given to a living person. At the commemorating ceremony, schoolchildren sang, ``if Archie Spigner works for you, clap your hands,'' which was a line greeted with roaring applause.
The Book of Matthew tells us that ``when the Son of Man comes in his glory,'' he will sit on his throne and judge both the living and the dead, saying the following to those who are to be saved: ``Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'' I do not find it difficult to imagine what kind of person from our time will be destined to join in God's glory. I have had the pleasure of knowing someone so vehemently dedicated to improving the lives of their fellow man. That person was Archie Spigner. He pursued criminal justice and equities in economic and housing opportunities that demonstrated a passion for loving his neighbor as he would himself. He worked for reform in his community so that more could prosper and share in the promise of this country. He was both an idol American and Christian, and it is an honor to have known him.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 112
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