[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 86 (Friday, June 30, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1168]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SILVER ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMED SERVICES AND VETERANS AFFAIRS MILITARY 
                             AWARDS DINNER

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 2000

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, whereas the leaders of America's 
Revolutionary War ascribed honor, gallantry and patriotism to the 
performance of military duty reserved for free white men to garner 
independence, freedom, liberty and equality from the British Crown;
  Whereas Crispus Attucks, a black slave, was the first to die while 
confronting British soldiers in the Boston Massacre; 5,000 of those who 
fought during the Revolutionary War were black;
  Whereas the military heritage of African Americans is as long as the 
history of a black presence in North America; black participation--in 
military actions--has not received extensive popular support nor has 
such participation been undertaken without difficulty;
  Whereas in 1917, when America entered World War I, Dr. Joel Spingarn, 
then-chairman of the Executive Committee of the National Association 
for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and Dr. W.E.B. Dubois, 
editor of the Crisis magazine pressured the War Department to establish 
a training camp that resulted in the commissioning of more than 1,300 
black officers;
  Whereas today, the NAACP notes significant improvement in the status 
of African Americans serving in the defense of the Nation; substantial 
portions of America's working population are directly or indirectly 
employed by the Department of Defense as uniformed military personnel, 
Federal employees, or Department of Defense contractors/sub-contractors 
and African Americans compose significant percentages of this work 
force; these statistics represent employment, training, and educational 
opportunities for African American youth;
  Whereas July 12, 2000, the Silver Anniversary of the Armed Services 
and Veterans Affairs Military Awards Dinner marks the untiring efforts 
of the NAACP to ensure equal opportunity in the Department of Defense 
through a national recognition program to award individuals within the 
Department of Defense who have made significant contributions to 
promoting equal opportunity and civil rights;
  Whereas the NAACP does not hesitate to confront the Defense 
Department whenever issues involving civil rights are in question; the 
national awards program testifies to the efforts of the Department of 
Defense and the Uniformed Services to stay the course and improve upon 
the Department of Defense and the Uniformed Services to become 
introspective and as equal opportunity-related issues emerge, to remain 
vigilant and keenly aware of the civil rights implications.
  Be it Resolved finally That this NAACP national recognition program 
continue to culminate in an awards banquet and ceremony with pageantry 
commensurate with the high honor and dignity bestowed upon the award 
recipients.

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