[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 403 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 403

Recognizing the important contributions of African-American doctors on 
  the event of the apology of the American Medical Association to the 
   National Medical Association, an association of African-American 
 doctors, for over a century of racial prejudices and wrongdoings, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2008

 Mr. Butterfield (for himself, Mrs. Christensen, Ms. Lee, Ms. Clarke, 
    Ms. Edwards of Maryland, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Thompson of 
 Mississippi, Mr. Towns, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mr. Hastings of Florida, 
  Mr. Carson, Ms. Richardson, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. 
Davis of Illinois, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. Watt, Mr. Scott of 
 Virginia, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Clay, Mr. Payne, Mr. Clyburn, Ms. Waters, 
Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Lewis 
   of Georgia, Mr. Davis of Alabama, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Jefferson, Ms. 
 Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Rush, Mr. Meeks of 
 New York, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Meek of Florida, Ms. Watson, Mr. Fattah, Mr. 
 Pallone, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Scott of Georgia, Mr. Price of 
North Carolina, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Kucinich, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Snyder, 
    Ms. DeLauro, Ms. Solis, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Hooley, Mr. Brady of 
 Pennsylvania, Mr. Weiner, Ms. Eshoo, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Stark, Mr. Moran 
 of Virginia, Mr. Kennedy, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Honda, Mr. Miller of North 
Carolina, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, Ms. Norton, Mr. Spratt, Mr. Rangel, 
  Mr. Wamp, Mr. Pomeroy, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Melancon, Mr. 
Capuano, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Waxman, Ms. Berkley, and Ms. 
   DeGette) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the important contributions of African-American doctors on 
  the event of the apology of the American Medical Association to the 
   National Medical Association, an association of African-American 
 doctors, for over a century of racial prejudices and wrongdoings, and 
                          for other purposes.

Whereas the American Medical Association (AMA) recently apologized to the 
        National Medical Association (NMA), an association of African-American 
        doctors, for its past history of racial inequality toward African-
        American physicians;
Whereas the AMA used the occasion to share its current efforts to increase the 
        ranks of minority physicians and their participation in their 
        organization;
Whereas the NMA, described as ``the largest and oldest national organization 
        representing African-American physicians and their patients in the 
        United States'', was founded in 1895;
Whereas the NMA is headquartered in the District of Columbia and represents more 
        than 25,000 African-American doctors;
Whereas the AMA, the largest association of physicians and medical students in 
        the United States, was founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897;
Whereas the AMA did not allow African-American doctors to join their 
        organization for over a century because of their race;
Whereas in 1968, the AMA became integrated by amending its constitution and 
        bylaws to punish racial discrimination by permitting the expulsion of 
        constituent societies;
Whereas the AMA created the Minority Affairs Consortium in 1992, which is 
        charged with increasing the number of underrepresented minority medical 
        students and physicians;
Whereas the AMA established the Commission to End Healthcare Disparities in 
        1994, whose mission is to ``collaborate proactively to increase 
        awareness among physicians and health professionals; use evidence-based 
        and other strategies; and advocate for action, including governmental, 
        to eliminate disparities in health care and strengthen the health care 
        system'';
Whereas Dr. Lonnie Bristow was named the first African-American president of AMA 
        in 1994;
Whereas there is still work to be done, as in 1910, African-American doctors 
        made up 2.5 percent of total doctors in United States, and in 2008, 
        Black doctors make up only 2.2 percent of total doctors in the United 
        States;
Whereas James Derham, born into slavery in 1757, was the first African-American 
        to formally practice medicine, and did not attend medical school;
Whereas James McCune Smith was the first university-trained African-American 
        doctor, graduating with a medical degree earned in Scotland in 1837;
Whereas David J. Peck was first African-American to graduate from an American 
        medical school in 1847, and went on practice medicine in the United 
        States;
Whereas there were 14 African-American medical schools opened after the Civil 
        War;
Whereas Shaw University's Leonard Medical School, located in Raleigh, North 
        Carolina, is one of the South's oldest historically Black colleges and 
        universities;
Whereas Leonard Medical School was the first Black medical school in the Deep 
        South, and the only Black medical school in North Carolina;
Whereas Leonard Medical School and its more than 400 graduates went on to play 
        important societal roles by leading hospitals, opening libraries, and 
        starting businesses in the healthcare field;
Whereas Leonard Medical School graduate Aaron Moore became the first African-
        American physician in Durham, North Carolina;
Whereas after graduating in Leonard Medical School's first graduating class, 
        Lawson Andrew Scruggs started a tuberculosis sanatorium in Southern 
        Pines, North Carolina, and was largely responsible for decreasing the 
        death rate in Raleigh, North Carolina's African-American community; and
Whereas Leonard Medical School trained African-American doctors who made a 
        positive impact on their communities and paved the way for other 
        African-Americans to enter medicine in the future: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the important contributions of African-
        American doctors on the event of the apology of American 
        Medical Association (AMA) to the National Medical Association 
        (NMA), an association of African-American doctors, for over a 
        century of racial prejudices and wrongdoings;
            (2) recognizes the efforts of Dr. W. Montague Cobb, former 
        president of the NMA in helping to break down the racial 
        prejudices at the AMA that eventually led to the AMA's full 
        integration;
            (3) recognizes Shaw University's Leonard Medical School and 
        other historically Black colleges and universities for their 
        role in training African-American doctors who made a positive 
        impact on their communities and paved the way for other 
        African-Americans to enter medicine in the future; and
            (4) encourages more African-Americans to work in medicine 
        and become doctors, nurses, and researchers to benefit the 
        African-American community and society as a whole.
                                 <all>