THE 13 FOUNDING MEMBERS: GEORGE COLLINS (D-IL)-CHARLES DIGGS (D-MI)-SHIRLEY CHISHOLM (D-NY)-AUGUSTUS HAWKINS (D-CA)-PERRIN MITCHELL (D-MD)-CHARLES RANGLE (D-NY)-BILL CLAY (D-MO)-RON DELLUMS (D-CA)-GEORGE COLLINS (D-IL)-LOU STOKES (D-OH)-RALPH METCALFE (D-IL)-ROBERT NIX (D-PA)-WALTER FAUNTROY (D-DC)

The Way We  Were in 1971-1978-I am with Congressman Lou Stokes, and the late NFL legend Jim Brown on The Hill. 

Stokes was one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus.  In 1971, I coordinated the first Celebrity Tennis Tournament for the caucus weekend at the Hilton Hotel in NW DC.

In 1978 as the Nike Shoe rep on the East Coast, I was the host along with the Congressional Black Caucus as we paid tribute to the NBA World Champions Washington Bullets.

Elvin and I look on with a Bullets fan as Nike NBA rep John Phillips welcomes the caucus and the World Champion Washington Bullets.

Elvin Hayes was the leading scorer for the Bullets during the play-offs and regular season, but Wes Unseld was named the MVP. 

This would be the only Bullets/Wizards championship team–48 years later they are still trying for an encore performance.

My efforts to cross the isle in the 70s and 80s were second to none, when it came to enhancing the lives of inner-city youth with both the Republicans and Democrats. They were truly color-blind when it came to Kids In Trouble.

In 1980 founding member, Congressman Walter Fauntroy received the Kids In Trouble Community Service Award as Hattie T and I look on. 

Congressman Louis Stokes read Harold Bell’s achievements into the Congressional Record on the House floor in 1980 (specifically on November 19, 1980), recognizing his community service work with Kids In Trouble, Inc. and his contributions to sports broadcasting in Washington, D.C.

In addition to Congressman Louis Stokes, several other members of Congress have recognized my work and entered my community contributions with Kids In Trouble, Inc. and sports broadcasting into the Congressional Record:

• Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC): Commended Harold Bell’s decades of youth mentorship, sports journalism, community advocacy in Washington, D.C., officially entering my achievements into the Congressional Record.
• Congressman Walter Fauntroy (D-DC): D.C.’s former Congressional delegate repeatedly honored Bell’s work with inner-city youth and sports programs on the House floor throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
• Congressman Ronald Dellums (D-CA): Recognized Bell’s unique grassroots initiatives and leadership in youth violence prevention through Kids In Trouble, Inc.
• Senator Bob Dole (R-Kan) read my name into the Congressional Record on December 20, 1982. In his tribute, Senator Dole commended Bell for his grassroots work with Kids In Trouble, Inc. and recognized his dedicated efforts in community service and youth advocacy across the Washington, D.C. area.

I received my first encounter with the civil rights struggle in 1960 when I first met NFL legend Jim Brown on the campus of Winston-Salem Teachers College aka Winston-Salem State University. I was a freshman student/athlete trying to go to hell in a hurry.

Jim was on campus as the guest speaker for our all sports banquet. Clarence “Bighouse” Gaines aka Big Nasty, was the Athletic Director, Football, basketball coach and all things athletic on campus. It was truly his way or the highway back to the ghetto.

During the season I stayed in his “Dog House”, because I thought I was the straw that stirred the drink-not on his watch.

I spend more time on the bench than on the field. My younger brother Earl had hitched hike from DC to Winston-Salem for homecoming to see his big brother play-I did not get off the bench. We won the game by 50 points.

After the football season was over he refused to allow me to tryout for the basketball team. He told me to go to class and get my grades, and maybe he would let me play next year.

I was fuming,