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LEE ELDER: GROUNDBREAKING GOLFER, MAKING A FAIR WAY ON THE FAIRWAYS
______
HON. KWEISI MFUME
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Thursday, December 2, 2021
Mr. MFUME. Madam Speaker, throughout my years in Congress, I have found it is not often that someone is as impactful or influential in breaking the color barrier in a sport or changing the culture of country clubs as the person for whom I stand today. I am honored to rise to recognize someone who found a more fair way on the fairways of professional golf; from Pensacola, Florida to Johannesburg, South Africa all the way to Augusta National and many courses in between, this groundbreaking golfer recently passed away. This incredible ambassador for the game was a gentleman both on the links and in real life, Mr. Lee Elder.
With 16 professional tour wins, including his breakthrough at the Monsanto Open in Pensacola in 1974, Lee Elder was the first African American to win a PGA Tour event. Mr. Elder was, however, a champion in more ways than one. He was a Black man born in the Jim Crow South who taught himself how to play golf on segregated courses. Working as a caddy he surmounted the hardships of being orphaned at a young age. In his early golfing days in the United Golf Association, Lee gained prominence for his skill and approach to the game.
Much like Jackie Robinson in Major League Baseball, Mr. Elder who chose to stand against the stain of racism, had to endure many indignities. He broke through on the PGA Tour in 1968 as a 34-year-old golfer. From changing clothes in parking lots because Black people were not allowed in the clubhouse to getting death threats for playing in the Masters in Augusta, Georgia, he overcame obstacles. He went to South Africa during the height of apartheid. He protested PGA rules allowing golfers to play at Sun City, Bophutswana, an outpost for segregation. He spoke out against country clubs which still excluded Black players as late as 1990. Mr. Elder helped Black golfers for whom he created Summer Youth Development Programs. All these acts define a champion of civil rights.
I stand today, Madam Speaker, for Lee Elder, not only for his dedication to the game of golf but also for his outstanding commitment in paving the way for people of color to pursue their passions in both their studies and their sports. Using his fame and fortune to establish a foundation to help Black students and the United Negro College Fund is also an important part of his legacy. Standing on the shoulders of such an athlete shows us what we all know in our hearts to be true: without the likes of Lee Elder, there might not be a Tiger Woods nor entry into Country Clubs. Mr. Eider's efforts yielded a fairer way on all fairways across this land.
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 208
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