[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 31 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 31

                    Celebrating Black History Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 13, 2013

Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Franken, Ms. Landrieu, 
  Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Levin, Mr. 
   Menendez, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Coons, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Begich, Mr. 
 Manchin, Mrs. Hagan, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Casey, Mr. Brown, Mr. Wicker, 
    Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Pryor, Ms. 
Cantwell, Mr. Portman, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Warner, Mr. Merkley, 
 Mr. Durbin, Mrs. McCaskill, Ms. Stabenow, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Cowan, 
and Mr. Reed) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 
                             and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
                    Celebrating Black History Month.

Whereas, in 1776, the United States of America was imagined, as stated in the 
        Declaration of Independence, as a new nation dedicated to the 
        proposition that ``all men are created equal, that they are endowed by 
        their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are 
        life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness'';
Whereas, on November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln, in reference to the 
        Declaration of Independence, stated, ``Four score and seven years ago 
        our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived 
        in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created 
        equal.'';
Whereas the history of the United States includes injustices and the denial of 
        basic, fundamental rights at odds with the words of the founders of the 
        United States and the sacrifices commemorated at Gettysburg, 
        Pennsylvania;
Whereas the injustices committed in the United States include approximately 250 
        years of slavery, 100 years of lynchings, denial of both fundamental 
        human and civil rights, and withholding of the basic rights of 
        citizenship;
Whereas inequalities and injustices in our society still exist today;
Whereas Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, W.E.B. Dubois, 
        Booker T. Washington, Charles Hamilton Houston, the Tuskegee Airmen, 
        Lena Horne, Ralph Bunche, Jackie Robinson, Constance Baker Motley, James 
        Baldwin, Dorothy Height, Thurgood Marshall, and Shirley Chisholm each 
        lived a life of incandescent greatness while many African Americans 
        lived, toiled, and died in obscurity, never achieving the recognition 
        they deserved, but paved the way for future generations to succeed;
Whereas many African-American men and women worked against racism to achieve 
        success, such as James Beckwourth, Bill Pickett, Colonel Allen 
        Allensworth, Clara Brown, and many others who were pivotal in the 
        exploration and westward expansion of the United States;
Whereas pioneers such as David Dinkins, Mae Jemison, Arthur Ashe, Oprah Winfrey, 
        James Earl Jones, Clarence Thomas, Ursula Burns, Alice Walker, Ronald 
        Brown, Alexis Herman, Kenneth Chenault, and Magic Johnson have all 
        served as positive beneficiaries of our forefathers and as great role 
        models and leaders for future generations;
Whereas, on November 4, 2008, and again on November 6, 2012, the people of the 
        United States elected an African-American man, Barack Obama, as 
        President of the United States, and African Americans continue to serve 
        the United States at the highest levels of the government and Armed 
        Forces;
Whereas Carter G. Woodson, the ``Father of Black History'', stated, ``We have a 
        wonderful history behind us.... If you are unable to demonstrate to the 
        world that you have this record, the world will say to you, `You are not 
        worthy to enjoy the blessings of democracy or anything else.''';
Whereas Black History Month, celebrated during the month of February, dates back 
        to 1926 when Carter G. Woodson set aside a special period of time in 
        February to recognize the heritage and achievement of black Americans;
Whereas, on February 22, 2012, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle 
        Obama, along with former First Lady Laura Bush, celebrated the 
        groundbreaking of the National Museum of African American History and 
        Culture on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.;
Whereas Hiram Rhodes Revels, Blanche Kelso Bruce, Edward William Brooke, Carol 
        Moseley Braun, Barack Obama, and Roland Burris have all served as 
        African-American firsts in the exclusive body known as the United States 
        Senate; and
Whereas, on January 2, 2013, Tim Scott became the first African American to 
        serve as Senator of South Carolina, and on February 7, 2013, William 
        ``Mo'' Cowan became the first African American to represent 
        Massachusetts in the Senate since 1978: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) acknowledges that all of the people of the United 
        States are the recipients of the wealth of history given to us 
        by black culture;
            (2) recognizes the importance of Black History Month as an 
        opportunity to reflect on the complex history of the United 
        States, while remaining hopeful and confident about the path 
        that lies ahead;
            (3) acknowledges the significance of Black History Month as 
        an important opportunity to recognize the tremendous 
        contributions of African Americans to the history of the United 
        States;
            (4) encourages the celebration of Black History Month to 
        provide a continuing opportunity for all people in the United 
        States to learn from the past and to understand the experiences 
        that have shaped the United States;
            (5) remembers the injustices that African Americans have 
        endured and commends the African-American community for 
        overcoming those injustices and changing the course and nature 
        of history by forging the fight for equality; and
            (6) agrees that while the United States began in division, 
        the United States must now move forward with purpose, united 
        tirelessly as one Nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice 
        for all, and honor the contribution of all pioneers who help 
        ensure the legacy of these great United States.
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