8th Annual Parren J. Mitchell Dinner and Salute - 2026

Hello West County Democratic Club (WCDC) Friends,

Thank you for visiting this site for the 8th Annual Parren J. Mitchell Dinner Salute. This annual event is hosted in honor of the Late Parren J. Mitchell, who was the 1st African American Congressman elected to serve in the state of Maryland.

Mr. Parren James Mitchell (PJM)

• Graduated from high school in Baltimore Maryland and joined the Army immediately afterwards serving in WWII. He earned two purple heart medals from General George S Patton.

• Earned his bachelor’s degree from Morgan State College (Morgan University).

• Sued University of Maryland (UMD) College Park (CP) to enter their master’s degree program.

• Professor Mitchell returned to Morgan to teach Sociology with his master’s degree from UMD CP.

While serving in Maryland’s 7th Congressional District , Congressman Parren J Mitchell

• Attached a bill to an amendment mandating that governmental agencies who seek federal grants and loans must set aside 10% of the grant for minority firms and contractors.

• Encouraged minorities to recognize the connection between economic opportunity and political equality through participation in elections.

• Is a founder of the Congressional Black Caucus.

• Quickly became a champion for minorities.

• Congressman Mitchell retired from Congress in 1987.

After retiring from Congress, the Honorable Parren J Mitchell continued to serve Marylander’s as Chairman of the Board for the Minority Business Enterprise Legal Defense Fund. . Mr. Mitchell received fourteen honorary degrees and various awards from over 3,000 national and consumer organizations, businesses, economic and religious groups.

Congressman Mitchell died on May 29, 2007. More than 1000 people attended his funeral service including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Governor Martin O’Malley, Senator Ben Cardin, Senator Barbara Mikulski, and Congressman Elijah Cummings who gave the Eulogy and said of the Late Congressman “He earned the trust of people throughout the country and the world because he was constantly building bridges for others to cross, while tearing down the walls that had excluded them".

Our speaker for the event will be US Representative Kweisi Mfume (Maryland 7th Congressional District).

Please join this celebration of the Legacy and Life of the Late Parren J. Mitchell. For more information, please contact wcdc12020@gmail.com. Subject line: PJM Dinner Salute.

Thank you in advance for your support and presence for this 8th Annual Parren J Mitchel Dinner Salute.

The Parren J Mitchell Dinner Salute Committee

Antonio Downing, Lynda Rice, Joan Crutchfield, Mary DesChamps, Antonio Downing, Otis Duffie, Marsha Jackson, Ruth Rogers and Larry Johnson.