In 1993 Eric H. Holder, Jr. joined the ranks of top-level federal prosecutors when he was named U.S. attorney for Washington, DC. Holder, who was appointed by President Clinton, is the first black ever to serve as U.S. attorney for the
District of Columbia, a region that is more than 70 percent black. Holder’s confirmation by Congress was seen as a positive step toward greater self-determination for the crime-ridden area.
Source: Biography on answers.com
Nov 18, 2008
Member of “Concerned Black Men” to help minority youngsters
Holder enrolled at Columbia University. There he majored in American history, earning top grades, and he spent his spare time absorbing black culture at Harlem landmarks. Feeling a responsibility toward fellow black Americans who were less fortunate than
himself, Holder began spending his Saturday mornings at a Harlem youth center and taking selected young people on trips around the city. He joined the Concerned Black Men, a national organization dedicated to helping minority youngsters.
Source: Biography on answers.com
Nov 18, 2008
Racism is alive and well in this country
In a Washington Post profile, Holder said, “Being black and middle class means you’ve got your feet in both worlds.... Racism is alive and well in this country, but that doesn’t excuse or justify the acts of the people who come before you.
Every person who comes before you as an adult and talks about the deprived life he’s had, there are 10, 15, 20 people from that same neighborhood who are just trying to make it, and those are the people who are the victims.”
Source: Biography on answers.com
Nov 18, 2008
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