[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 50 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 50

 Recognizing the historic founding of the Black Stuntmen's Association 
             and the Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 25, 2010

  Mr. Reid (for himself, Mr. Burris, Mrs. Boxer, and Mrs. Feinstein) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the historic founding of the Black Stuntmen's Association 
             and the Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women.

Whereas a group of African-American stuntmen, athletes, and extras founded the 
        Black Stuntmen's Association in Los Angeles, California, in 1967 to 
        combat racial discrimination and create equal opportunities for all 
        people of color in the motion picture and television stunt industry;
Whereas the Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women was formed in 1973 to continue 
        the fight against racial bias in the industry;
Whereas motion picture and television productions at the time commonly featured 
        White stuntmen and women as stunt doubles for African-American actors 
        and those of other races, using makeup to darken their complexion in a 
        process known as a ``paint-down'';
Whereas African-Americans were routinely denied job opportunities and formal 
        training in the stunt industry due to lingering racism;
Whereas the increased use of African-American actors in motion pictures and 
        television in the 1960s brought more attention to the common industry 
        practice of using only White stuntmen and women;
Whereas the Black Stuntmen's Association and the Coalition of Black Stuntmen and 
        Women pursued legal action to bring additional diversity to the motion 
        picture and television industry and continued to monitor compliance with 
        the resulting agreements;
Whereas the original members of the Black Stuntmen's Association and the 
        Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women paved the way for greater racial 
        equality in the motion picture and television industry in the ensuing 
        years, but in many cases were unable to benefit from their hard-won 
        victory;
Whereas the efforts of the Black Stuntmen's Association and the Coalition of 
        Black Stuntmen and Women also helped tear down discriminatory barriers 
        and prejudices in other parts of the motion picture and television 
        industry, both in front of and behind the camera; and
Whereas members of the Black Stuntmen's Association and the Coalition of Black 
        Stuntmen and Women have made a significant and lasting contribution to 
        the quality of motion picture and television productions in the United 
        States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the historic founding of the Black 
        Stuntmen's Association and the Coalition of Black Stuntmen and 
        Women, and
            (2) honors the contributions of these organizations and 
        their members in the fight for racial equality and justice in 
        the motion picture and television industry.
                                 <all>