THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(San Jose, California)
_____________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release September 23,
2000
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Hillary and I were saddened to learn of the death of Carl Rowan, one of
America's most prolific columnists and social commentators.
Carl Rowan called his autobiography "Breaking Barriers," and that was
exactly what he did. He was without a doubt, one of our nation?s most
eloquent voices for human rights and racial justice. Carl's passion for
progress led him from a struggling coal mining town to the U.S. Navy, where
he served as one of its first African-American commissioned officers. It
led him from the newsroom to the corridors of power and back again, to the
pages of our nation's newspapers.
Carl Rowan served two presidents and represented the United States
abroad. But he saw himself first and foremost as a journalist. His gentle,
civil tone only heightened the power of his commentary; and he felt a
special obligation not only to inform his readers but to enrich them with
new ways of thinking.
Hillary and I will miss Carl Rowan and the special perspective that he
shared with his nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife,
Vivien, and their three children.
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