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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 10, 2014 04:28 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Ed Gainey |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Honor Resolution -- Martha Jean "The Queen" Steinberg |
| In the VERY near future I intend to introduce a resolution honoring the life and achievements of Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg, a civil rights pioneer who used her talents to become one of the most influential African-American radio broadcasters in America in the late 1950s through 2000. For those who are unfamiliar with Mrs. Steinberg’s accomplishments, she was most noted as being one of the first African-American disc jockeys on the radio and spearheaded the introduction of original American art forms, including blues, rhythm and blues, and what was eventually labeled as rock and roll. However, Mrs. Steinberg’s greatest accomplishments were not in the types of music she promoted, but instead it was her on-air inspirational messages of hope, self-determination and self-sufficiency – which she freely shared with her listeners. At a time when our country was experiencing significant changes, Mrs. Steinberg used her influence on the radio to promote peace and unity. During the 1967 Detroit riots, she stayed on the airwaves for 48 straight hours, encouraging citizens to remain calm and preached nonviolence. She also helped coordinate regular meetings between local police and citizens in order to advance better relations between law enforcement and the African-American community. Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg passed away in 2000, however her legacy continues today. She transformed the relationship between radio personalities and their community of listeners and through her inspirational shows, promoted civil duty and moral issues, which were captured in her often-used catchphrases, such as, “Live, love, laugh, be good, fight for happiness, pray for peace, and above all, be kind.” For these efforts, she has already been inducted into the Black Radio Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Please join me in co-sponsoring this resolution. |
Introduced as HR906