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Maya Angelou Signs Copies Of 'Maya Angelou: Letter to My Daughter' - October 30, 2008

Source: Jemal Countess / Getty

When the House of Representatives has free time, they name post offices. Comedian Bob Hope, singers Ray Charles and Nat King Cole are several of the celebrities who have received post offices in their honor. These bills typically pass unanimously with a 381-0 vote but one legendary person in particular only received 371 votes.

Nine Republicans voted against naming a California post office after author, poet and Civil Rights activist Maya Angelou.

According to ABC News, Congressman Mo Brooks cited Angelou’s alleged political ties as the reason why she wasn’t worthy of this latest honor.

“While Maya Angelou did many good things in her life, Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-5) did not believe it appropriate to name an American Post Office after a communist sympathizer and thereby honor a person who openly opposed America’s interest by supporting Fidel Castro and his regime of civil rights suppression, torture and murder of freedom-loving Cubans,” said Lauren Vandiver, a spokesperson for Brooks.

Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md. echoed similar sentiments in a statement.  “Congressman Harris voted against the Maya Angelou post office naming because she was a communist sympathizer. His parents escaped communism and he feels that he cannot vote to name a post office in the United States in honor of someone who supported the communist Castro revolution in Cuba,” said Shelby Hodgkins on behalf of the Congressman. 

Democratic Representative Steve Israel called the actions of nine colleagues, “disrespectful”.

“Naming post offices is one of the most benign and bipartisan duties we perform in the House of Representatives, and there is rarely any opposition…The fact that these nine Members would cast a no vote shows a blatant disrespect and only adds to the damaging actions they’ve taken this year to reverse progress from long and hard fought civil rights battles”  said Israel.

We guess those nine politicians will have to take their mail elsewhere! In other #BlackGirlMagicNews, jazz singer Sarah Vaughan was recently honored with her own postage stamp.

The gorgeous oil painting of the singer renown for her son “My Funny Valentine” and “Misty”is based on a 1955 photograph by Hugh Bell. In celebration of Women’s History Month, Newark, New Jersey will hold a concert on March 29 at 11 a.m. for the beloved native at the aptly titled Sarah Vaughan Concert Hall.

Vaughan died in 1990 in Hidden Hills, CA at age 66.

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Republicans Vote Against Post Office In Honor Of Maya Angelou + Sarah Vaughan Celebrated With Postage Stamp  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com