Congressman Cohen to Host Post Office Renaming Ceremony in Honor of Rev. Kenneth Whalum

The Main Post Office, located at 555 South 3rd St. in Memphis, is being designated as the “Kenneth T. Whalum, Sr. Post Office Building.” Congressman Cohen sponsored H.R. 2587, which renamed the Post Office. It became Public Law 110-99 on October 24, 2007, one day after Rev. Whalum passed away. Congressman Cohen memorialized Rev. Whalum on the House Floor on October 23, saying: “The City of Memphis has lost one of its finest citizens, Kenneth Whalum, Sr. He was a leader in our community.” The entire speech can be viewed here: /index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=340&Itemid=101

The renaming ceremony will feature Congressman Cohen, Councilman Myron Lowry, Memphis Postmaster Tom Pawlowski, Olivet Fellowship Baptist Church Senior Pastor Rev. Eugene Gibson, Jr., and others. Additionally, a dedicatory plaque honoring Rev. Whalum will be placed in the lobby of the Main Post Office.

Rev. Whalum had a long, impactful career in the United States Post Office, becoming the first African-American to hold the position of Director of the Office of Personnel in the South in 1968. By 1980, Kenneth Whalum was one of the top 46 officers in the USPS.

On September 10, 2007, Congressman Cohen spoke on the House floor in support of the legislation to name the post office for Rev. Whalum, saying, “I'm not sure if many post offices in this country have been named in honor of people who worked in those facilities. If so, there have been very few. Most are named for political figures, war heroes. Kenneth Whalum was a political figure, a clergyman of great renown, but also a man who spent a career in the postal service and was respected by the rank-and-file and rose to prominence in the postal service. For those reasons particularly, I think it's most fitting that this building be named for this gentleman as an inspiration to the other employees at the postal service and to the postal service nationally.” The entire speech can be viewed at: /index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=299&Itemid=101

Rev. Whalum is probably best remembered in Memphis, however, for his career as a civic and spiritual leader in the community. As a young man, Rev. Whalum led civil rights marches, protesting segregated facilities in downtown Memphis. He was elected to the Memphis City Council in 1988 representing District 4, and in 1988, Rev. Whalum was elected to At-Large Position 3 on the Council. In 1969, Rev. Whalum accepted God’s calling to pastor Olivet Fellowship Baptist Church, where he served as senior pastor for 30 years. Rev. Whalum’s list of accomplishments is long, among them: Board of Directors of the Memphis NAACP, Board of Directors of The Interdenominational Theological Center, Past Board Member of LeMoyne-Owen College and Founding Board Member of The National Civil Rights Museum.

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Contact:
Marilyn Dillihay, Press Secretary, (202) 225-3265/ (202) 368-9275 (mobile)
Charlie Gerber, Communications Assistant, (202) 225-3265 / (202) 320-2817 (mobile)