The Honorable Parren J. Mitchell was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School in August 1943, Class Number 283. He served as a Commissioned Officer (U.S. Infantry) first a platoon leader, second as Executive Officer and later as Company Commander, received the Purple Heart among other awards and citations. | Parren J. Mitchell is a Member of Congress, Seventh District of Maryland. House of Representative Committee Assignments: Budget Committee; Banking, Currency and Housing Committee; Committee on Small Business. Subcommittees: Housing and Community Development; General Oversight and Renegotiations; Small Business Administration Oversight and Minority Enterprise; Small Business Administration, Small Business Investment Companies Legislation. | Congressional Black Caucus Committee Assignment: Chairman of Subcommittee on Housing, Minority Enterprise and Economic Development. | Public Record: For the past 20 years, he worked for change: admitted as the first Black student on the College Park Campus, leading an NAACP sponsored court fight; implemented Baltimore's unique post-sentence case work program; helped establish first U.S. Labor Department job training program on the Eastern Shore; fought for broad state-wide public accommodations law; led battle against housing discrimination in Maryland, focusing on off-base housing surrounding military installations; fought nursing home and pharmacy efforts to exempt their employees from minimum wage law; testified and labored against proposed routing of East-West Expressway through hundreds of Rosemont area-Mulberry-Franklin corridor homes; led successful battle against proposed 25% cut in Federal funds for City's Neighborhood Youth Program; fought to lower security deposit charged by gas and electric services; labored successfully against proposed city 10% utilities tax, charging it a tax against the poor; leader in anti-war protests sponsored by Moratorium Committee and Johns Hopkins; fought against exploitation by landlords, leading tenant march. | Past Positions: Executive Secretary with Maryland Commission on Interracial Problems and Relations. In this position, it was his responsibility to administer the Maryland State Public Accommodations Law and the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Law. | Executive Director of the Community Action Agency which administers Baltimore's War Against Poverty. In this position, he was responsible for the implementation and the coordination of all social service programs and community organization programs designed to aid any of 200,000 residents of the inner city who are poor as defined by Federal Government criteria. | Professor of Sociology and Assistant Director of the Urban Studies Institute, Morgan State College. | Education: Morgan State College in 1950 with an A.B. Degree in Sociology. While enrolled at that college he was elected to the Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society. Master's Degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland and was elected to the Alpha Kappa Phi National Honor Society. Pursued courses at the Yale University Summer School of Alcohol Studies. Pursued courses at the Doctoral level in Sociology at the University of Connecticut. | Honorary Degrees: Doctor of Social Sciences, University of Maryland (Eastern Shore) May 23, 1971; Doctor of Humane Letters, Coppin State College, June 8, 1971; Doctor of Humane Letters, Morgan State College, May 27, 1973. | Awards and Citations: Unprecedented Achievement as the first Black Congressman from Maryland-Epsilon Omega Chapter Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority-February 13, 1971; Award of Merit for Superior Public Service-Baltimore Branch NAACP-November 23, 1969; Man of the Year-1972-Young Adult Democratic Organization; For Outstanding and Continuous Service as a Statesman and Humanitarian-Baltimore Frontiers Club-October 12, 1972; In Appreciation of your Service to Humanity-The Adult Fellowship of John Wesley Methodist Church-December 12, 1965; For his outstanding contributions and service to the community of Baltimore-Harlem Park Junior Hi-Y-March 25, 1971; Key Award 1972-National Association of Black Manufactures; For his inspiration and dedication to our efforts-The Membership and Staff of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives-September, 1972; Humanitarian of the year award-Members Project #954 of Maryland Penitentiary-March 24, 1972: Commemoration of concerned humanitarian services to young people in the City of Baltimore-Students of Walbrook High School-June 7, 1972; Appreciation Award for Sincere and Devoted Effort from the Committee on Better Race Relations; Afro-American Award for Superior Public Services; Freedom House Award for Superior Public Service-April 23, 1971; Israel Baptist Church Achievement Award-1969; Outstanding service and concern for the men in the Maryland Penial Institutions-AFIRE ORGANIZATION-August 28, 1971; Alumnus of the Year Award-Morgan State College-1971; Outstanding leadership in the areas of housing, minority enterprise and economic development-Jack and Jill of America (Montgomery County Maryland Chapter).