109 HCON 96 IH: Recognizing the significance of African American women in the United States scientific community. U.S. House of Representatives 2005-03-15 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 96 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 15, 2005 Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas (for herself, Ms. Lee, Mr. Payne, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Towns, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Owens, Mr. Rangel, Ms. Norton, Mr. Honda, Mr. Meeks of New York, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Ms. McKinney, Mr. Butterfield, and Mr. Serrano) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Science CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the significance of African American women in the United States scientific community.

Whereas African American women, once considered nontraditional participants in the United States scientific community, have become an indispensable part of the new technology society; Whereas although women comprise approximately 25 percent of the 427,740 individuals employed in the United States workforce who hold a science and engineering doctoral degree, African American women comprise less than one percent of such individuals; Whereas a skilled workforce is the essential fuel to propel the United States economy and ensure a high quality of life, and it is absolutely critical to the success of the economy to produce a scientifically literate workforce; Whereas for these reasons, it is crucial for the United States to continue to aggressively recruit more minority and women students into careers in science and technology; Whereas to improve the numbers of African American youth pursuing science, especially young women, it is crucial to provide strong scientific minds for them to look up to and emulate; Whereas very little literature documents African American women and their place in science; Whereas commemorating the achievements of African American women at the very top of the performance curve demonstrates to the world the importance of diversity in the workforce; and Whereas Dr. Ruth Ella Moore (who in 1933 became the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in natural science from the Ohio State University), Dr. Roger Arliner Young (who in 1940 became the first African American woman to receive a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Pennsylvania), Dr. Euphemia Lofton Haynes (who in 1943 became the first African American woman to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics from the Catholic University of America), Dr. Shirley Jackson (who in 1973 became the first African American woman to receive a Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and Dr. Mae Jemison (a physician and the first African American woman in space) represent only a few of the African American women who have broken through many barriers to achieve greatness in science: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress acknowledges and recognizes the significant achievements and contributions of African American women scientists, mathematicians, and inventors and supports the establishment of a special day on which these great minds may be honored and esteemed.