IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 362 
Commending the Philadelphia Coalition for its principled, open, and integrated 
approach to eradicating racism and intolerance, and for its determination 
to confront the past and work toward the future. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 14, 2005 
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of 
Texas, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. 
THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. 
WATT, and Mr. WICKER) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Commending the Philadelphia Coalition for its principled, 
open, and integrated approach to eradicating racism and 
intolerance, and for its determination to confront the 
past and work toward the future. 
Whereas on June 21, 1964, three Civil Rights workers—An-
drew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner— 
came to Neshoba County, to investigate the burning of 
Mount Zion Baptist Church, in Longdale, Mississippi; 
Whereas the 3 men were pulled over in Philadelphia, Mis-
sissippi and thrown into jail, then released and ordered 
to leave town;
•HRES 362 IH 
Whereas the Civil Rights workers were subsequently chased 
down and murdered by a mob of Ku Klux Klansmen; 
Whereas Edgar Ray Killen was a member of the Ku Klux 
Klan and orchestrated the murders; 
Whereas Edgar Ray Killen was tried for the murders and ac-
quitted by an all-white jury in 1967 when one juror re-
fused to convict Mr. Killen because he was a preacher; 
Whereas Mr. Killen remained free for 41 years following the 
murder without further prosecution; 
Whereas in March, 2005, a task force of city, county, and 
tribal leaders formed the Philadelphia Coalition, charged 
with ‘‘helping to plan the public commemoration [of the 
June 21, 1964 murders], to study an appropriate public 
memorial to the civil rights workers in Neshoba County, 
and to establish a perpetual structure that would foster 
racial harmony and reconciliation’’; 
Whereas the Philadelphia Coalition is multiracial, comprised 
of white, black, and Choctaw Indian men and women; 
Whereas the Philadelphia Coalition advocated strongly for, 
and was instrumental in, the reopening of the trial of 
Edgar Ray Killen in Philadelphia, Mississippi; 
Whereas Edgar Ray Killen was retried and convicted on 3 
counts of manslaughter on June 21, 2005; 
Whereas members of the Philadelphia Coalition have created 
a sense of openness and respect for one another and for 
the community at large; 
Whereas the Philadelphia Coalition’s efforts and successes 
have led to a large groundswell of support and unity from 
the Neshoba County populace; and
•HRES 362 IH 
Whereas the work of the Philadelphia Coalition serves as an 
example for racial tolerance and ethnic understanding not 
only in Mississippi, but throughout the United States: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) applauds the Philadelphia Coalition’s com-
mitment to active integration and inclusion of all 
races, genders, and ethnicities in the face of a crime 
that arose from intolerance and exclusion; 
(2) commends the Philadelphia Coalition for 
proving that it is never too late for justice to be 
served; and 
(3) commends the commitment and determina-
tion of the diverse members of the Philadelphia Coa-
lition to come together for the common aims of jus-
tice, dialogue, and progress in the face of adversity. 
Æ