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“HONORING DARWIN CREQUE AND HIS BROTHER, DR. LAURITZ CLUDGEMANN CREQUE” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E590-E591 on April 20, 2010.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING DARWIN CREQUE AND HIS BROTHER, DR. LAURITZ CLUDGEMANN CREQUE
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HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN
of the virgin islands
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of two distinguished native sons of my district, the U.S. Virgin Islands, who during their productive lives distinguished themselves in the fields of medicine, education, literature, history, and public service. It is my honor to remember the lives of Darwin Creque and his brother, Dr. Lauritz Cludgemann Creque who attended Morehouse College and who are being honored there this week with the establishment of a memorial scholarship in their name that will help young men of color enter the health professions.
Mr. Darwin Creque distinguished himself as a literary scholar, historian, newspaper founder and editor, economist, business man, health administrator and a commissioner of housing. He was born on St. Thomas on August 30, 1912 and graduated in the Charlotte Amalie High School Class of '32. He then attained a Bachelor of Arts from Morehouse College in 1936 and a Masters of Arts in Economics from Atlanta University in 1938. Upon returning to the Virgin Islands, he became head of the social science department of Christiansted High School and later Assistant Price Economist, Office of Price Administration, Tax Assessor, Water Commissioner, and Territorial Director, Office of Price Stabilization.
He then pursued further education in the field of health care and attended Harvard University, where he received a Masters in Science in Public Health Administration in 1954. After an internship in Hospital Administration at Harvard University School of Medicine in 1956, he received a certificate in Business and Industrial Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1955. He returned to St. Thomas and there served as Executive Health Administrator at the Department of Health. He then returned to his training as an economist, becoming Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Commerce where he organized and headed the Division of Trade and Industry. During the administration of the late Governor Melvin H. Evans, the first elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, he served as the Commissioner of Housing and Community Renewal.
Darwin Creque led a multi-faceted life. He was at one time, the editor and co-owner of the St. Croix Avis and owner of a Main Street business called ``The Smart Shop.'' He loved music and played the violin. He contributed to the historical and literary canon of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the most notable of which was The U.S. Virgin Islands and the Eastern Caribbean. He also prepared research papers for the Federal and local governments and served on many boards and commissions, including the V.I. Banking Board. He was a long time member of the Grand Lodge of England (Harmonic Lodge 356) and past president of St. Thomas Rotary II. For his years of dedicated service, he received many awards and citations including from his fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, the Virgin Islands Legislature and the Federal Department of Commerce. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow by St. Thomas Rotary II for his commitment of service and to world harmony.
Madam Speaker, Darwin Creque's brother, Dr. Lauritz Cludgemann Creque lived an equally distinguished life. Born on St. Thomas in March of 1917, he too was a gifted musician, writer, and teacher who became a medical doctor after obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Morehouse College in 1948 and a medical degree from Meharry Medical College in 1952 with a specialty in general surgery. During his early career, he served as Chief of Staff of Kate Bitting Memorial Hospital, an African American Hospital serving diverse populations. He also served as Medical Examiner and County Coroner as well. He was a Member of the American Medical Association, the President of the North State Medical Association, the Twin City Medical Society and induction into the American College of Physicians and Surgeons. He worked to keep hospitals that served the African American community open after many of them were being absorbed into mainstream institutions. Dr. Creque went on to complete his training in pathology at Columbia University in New York and remained on the clinical faculty at Columbia University for almost 20 years. Fluent in three languages, he served diverse populations to include being the Director of the Blood Bank of Harlem Hospital and operating an independent clinic for Hispanics in Hunts Point, Bronx, New York.
Madam Speaker, with their scholarship, professionalism and service to others, the Creque brothers exemplify the best of what it means to be a Virgin Islander. I ask my colleagues to join me in this salute to their contributions.
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