The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE TRADITION AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE SOUL CHILDREN OF
CHICAGO
______
HON. DANNY K. DAVIS
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, today, I wish to honor The Soul Children of Chicago headed by Dr. Walt Whitman, Jr. This organization, created in 1981, is the Nation's oldest internationally-
acclaimed, Grammy-award-winning, youth, gospel choir.
The choir has performed internationally in Sweden, Italy, Holland, Israel, and Switzerland, and across the United States, even performing for nearly 1.7 billion people on the opening day of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as well as at the White House for Presidents George H. W. Bush, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan. The Soul Children of Chicago has recorded with Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Neil Diamond, Yolanda Adams, and many other notables. The list of accomplishments goes on.
However, The Soul Children of Chicago is much more than the prestigious awards and accolades it has garnered. The organization is a living testament to the promise of Psalm 37:3, ``Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.''
Under the direction and passion-filled guidance of Dr. Walt Whitman, Jr., The Soul Children of Chicago serves as a catalyst for the education, elevation, and illumination of Chicago's youth.
Although it has garnered many awards and international recognitions, these accomplishments have never been the goal. The goal has always focused on utilizing music as the motivator to inspire young people worldwide to have faith in themselves, each other, and God. This dedication to youth uplift is rooted in the principle of ``taking delight in the LORD'' and has marked Dr. Whitman and The Soul Children of Chicago as household names both in the United States and overseas.
Please make no mistake; the journey of The Soul Children of Chicago has been challenging. But it has been worth it.
The Soul Children of Chicago is bigger than rehearsals. Bigger than a choir. Bigger than an organization. It is family. Further, this family has spawned graduates, artists, pastors, business owners, community leaders, professionals, doctors, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. This family presents students with the tools and accountability to excel in any task they undertake, whether succeeding in school, staying out of gangs and drug culture, or cultivating a spirit of excellence.
The Soul Children of Chicago is a family that takes delight in the LORD, and, for that reason, I believe that He will continue to give them all the desires of their hearts. Dr. Walt Whitman, Jr., the head of this family, began a good work in 1981, and, by the grace of God, he will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
I await their continued success an excellence in the years to come.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 124(1), Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 124(2)
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
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