The publication is reproduced in full below:
WENEFRETT WATSON'S CENTENARIAN BIRTHDAY
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HON. BARBARA LEE
of california
in the house of representatives
Monday, November 1, 2021
Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Wenefrett Watson on her 100th birthday, and honor her decades of service in our East Bay community.
Mrs. Watson was born in Marshall, Texas on October 29, 1921, to Dr. Oliver Wendell Phillips and Mayme Cecelia Adam Phillips. She completed two bachelor's degrees during her undergraduate studies, one in English Literature from Bishop College and one in Library Sciences from the University of Southern California. She worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., where she met her husband, Dr. James A. Watson. The Watsons relocated to Oakland, California in the 1950s, where Mrs. Watson became active in the Oakland public schools.
Mrs. Watson has been an important civic leader in our Oakland community. She was involved in many local organizations, including the Oakland Museum Commission, the Oakland Symphony Board, and the Oakland Anti-Poverty Board. Mrs. Watson's civil involvement is also notable, including her work with the PTA in the Oakland schools, and later with membership of the Oakland Bay Area Links, a volunteer service organization of women committed to ensuring the economic and cultural livelihoods of African Americans. She was also passionate about civil rights, and became active with the NAACP, the Urban League, and eventually ran for City Council.
Mrs. Watson is a trailblazer in the Oakland business community, as a business owner and entrepreneur. She created and managed WenTravel and Cruise travel agency in the 1980s, holding contracts with the City of Oakland, County of Alameda, and the State of California. Mrs. Watson's work was exceptionally impactful as she offered young African American business owners' opportunities to follow in her footsteps. When she retired, she sought inspired and passionate young African American entrepreneurs who would carry on her business and her work in our Oakland community. Mrs. Watson remained active after retirement, inspiring other community leaders through her work in helping to start the Black Film Makers Hall of Fame. In 1997, she was honored by the Black Business Listings for her outreach and leadership.
Today, on behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, I commend Mrs. Wenefrett Watson for her lifelong work as a leader, activist, and entrepreneur, and warmly wish her a happy 100th birthday.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 191
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