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On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted to rename a Winston-Salem post office after acclaimed writer and civil-rights activist, Maya Angelou. Though the measure passed with 371 votes, 9 Republican voted against the bill, one lawmaker citing communism for his ‘no’ vote.
Congressman Harris voted against the Maya Angelou post office naming because she was a communist sympathizer, and noted that his parents escaped communism. The other eight Republicans include congressmen Ken Buck (CO), Mo Brooks (AL), Michael Burgess (TX), Jeff Duncan (SC), Glenn Grothman (WI), Thomas Massie (KY), Alex Mooney (WV), and Steven Palazzo (MS).
One Representative, Democrat Steve Israel of New York stated that, “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,” saying he was shocked by the action. Israel called Maya Angelou, “indisputably one of our country’s greatest poets, authors and civil rights activists.”
Angelou, who passed away in 2014, left behind a legacy of fighting against segregation and apartheid. She also supported Democratic candidates such as Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.
