[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 19 (Thursday, February 28, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H643-H644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING SIGNIFICANCE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Committee on Government Reform be discharged from further 
consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 335) 
recognizing the significance of Black History Month and the 
contributions of black Americans as a significant part of the history, 
progress, and heritage of the United States, and ask for its immediate 
consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Virginia?
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, 
and I will not object, I yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. 
Jo Ann Davis) to explain the concurrent resolution.
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent 
Resolution 335 expresses the sense of Congress that the contributions 
of black Americans are a significant part of the history, progress, and 
heritage of the United States and that the ethnic and racial diversity 
of the United States enriches and strengthens the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and acknowledgment of Black 
History Month, a great tradition honoring and celebrating black 
Americans. This 74-year tradition seeks to broaden our vision of the 
world, the legacy of black Americans in our Nation's history, and their 
role in our Nation's future. I commend the distinguished gentleman from 
Oklahoma (Mr. Watts) for introducing this important piece of 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, the first black Americans were brought to these shores 
as early as the 17th century. These black Americans and subsequent 
generations were enslaved and brought to America against their free 
will. Despite this setback, early black Americans made their mark in 
the economic, educational, political, artistic, literary, scientific, 
and technological advancement of the United States. Black Americans 
have also contributed to protecting the Nation's security and freedom 
through service in the Armed Forces. In addition, they have built many 
of the Nation's strongest faith-based institutions which serve the 
Nation's poorest citizens, strengthen the Nation's moral code, and 
uplift its spirits.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important that we stand today and recognize the 
achievements of black Americans. Their heritage and history are 
invaluable learning tools to the people of our great Nation.
  I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, when I think 
of this bill, which was introduced by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. 
Watts), I think of the words of Langston Hughes, the African-American 
poet, who stated:

     ``O, let America be America again.
     The land that never has been yet
     And yet must be.
     The land where every man is free.
     The land that's mine--
     The poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, me--
     Who made America,
     Whose sweat and blood,
     Whose faith and pain,
     Whose hand at the foundry,
     Whose plow in the rain,
     Must bring back our mighty dream again.''

                              {time}  1130

  That is from ``Let America be America Again.'' Those eloquent words 
of celebrated African American poet and writer Langston Hughes resound 
today as we celebrate Black History Month and as we discuss this 
resolution recognizing the significance of Black History Month.
  On February 1, 2002, Mr. Hughes joined the other 24 prominent African 
Americans distinguished by having a stamp issued in their honor as part 
of the U.S. Postal Service's Black Heritage Stamp service.
  There was certainly a time in our not-too-distant past when this 
would have been unthinkable, issuing stamps depicting prominent African 
Americans. Indeed, this was the case in February 1926 when renowned 
African American educator Carter G. Woodson, founder of the Association 
for the Study of African American History and Life, designated a week 
in February coinciding with the birthdays of two great Americans, 
Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, as Negro History Week. Mr. 
Woodson hoped that the contributions of African Americans would be 
studied as integral to our shared American history. Fifty years later, 
in 1976, the observance was expanded to embrace the entire month of 
February, and here we are today commemorating yet another Black History 
Month.
  In 1926, the landscape in this country for African Americans was 
demonstrably different than it is today. At that time, ``separate but 
equal,'' a doctrine that afforded Black Americans second-class 
citizenship, was the law of the land, although an immoral one.
  Through the heroic efforts of many Americans of all races, legalized 
discrimination became a thing of the past. This body passed landmark 
legislation, most notably the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting 
Rights Act of 1965. However, the story of racial discrimination did not 
end in 1965.
  Here we are in 2002, and the theme for this year's observance of 
Black History Month is most appropriately timed: ``The color line 
revisited: Is racism dead?'' The answer obviously is a resounding 
``no.''
  One only needs to read the newspapers from around the country every 
day to see that racism is not dead. New York Times, January 15: ``New 
Jersey troopers avoid jail in case that highlighted profiling.''
  Chicago Tribune, January 21: ``Racial profiling is bad policing.''
  Detroit Free Press, January 11: ``Black Arab-American leaders assail 
racial profiling.''
  Denver Post, November 28, 2001: ``Hispanics, Blacks, get searched 
more.''
  Dallas Morning News, January 2, 2002: ``Racial profiling ban takes 
effect.''

[[Page H644]]

  I could go on and on and on; but African Americans, despite our 
robust laws, face a daily dosage of humiliation as the result of 
racism. Thousands of African Americans and other racial and ethnic 
minorities have been the victims of racial, ethnic or national origin 
profiling; targeted, identified, stopped, questioned and searched by 
law enforcement officials under the guise of committing a crime, when 
in reality their only crime was the color of their skin or their 
country of origin.
  Young black men are particularly prone to DWB, driving while black. 
Since September 11, law-abiding Arab-American citizens have been 
targeted for profiling by law enforcement officials. Racial profiling 
violates the equal protection provisions of our great Constitution. Not 
only is it un-American, it is also bad law enforcement.
  Salim Muwakkil, in the Chicago Tribune, wrote about University of 
Toledo law professor David A. Harris' new book, ``Profiles in 
Injustice: Why Racial Profiling Cannot Work.'' Harris' book, for the 
first time, compared all of the available data on racial profiling with 
relevant crime statistics and makes clear that the ``hit rate,'' the 
rate at which police actually find contraband on people they stop in 
racial profiling, is actually lower for blacks than for whites. The hit 
rate for Latinos is much lower than for either.
  In 2001, a Department of Justice report came to the same conclusion. 
Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on 
Civil Rights said, ``Most Americans think that the most blatant forms 
of discrimination and segregation have ended, that we are dealing now 
with a much more complex, often more subtle form of discrimination. Yet 
incidents like the ones we are discussing now seem to belie the point. 
They seem to suggest that even the more blatant forms of 
discrimination, though not as institutionalized as they once were, are 
still occurring, and I think stand in mockery of the perception that 
America has become a color-blind nation.''
  Since June of last year, the End Racial Profiling Act of 2001 has 
been pending in our esteemed institution. This 107th Congress could put 
an end to racial profiling by passing this act and sending it to the 
President for signature. Then we would really be celebrating Black 
History Month 2002.
  So I end, Mr. Speaker, as I began. ``O, let America be America again; 
the land that never has been yet and must be; the land where every man 
is free.''
  I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I am pleased to 
yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Watts).
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of 
Black History Month. Since 1976, each year during the month of 
February, Black History Month is celebrated across the Nation.
  The origins of Black History Month are dated back to 1976 when, as 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) said, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, an 
American of African descent who was an educator and historian, set 
aside a special period of time in the month of February which began as 
Negro History Week, to recognize the heritage, the achievements and 
contributions of Americans of African descent to our great Nation.
  When you consider that Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, is 
celebrated during February, it is only appropriate that those people 
whom he freed more than a century ago be celebrated during this month 
as well.
  However, although February is officially recognized as Black History 
Month, we should celebrate black history throughout the entire year. 
This is a magnificent opportunity for everyone, red, yellow, brown, 
black and white, to learn about their own history.
  After all, black history is American history. Rising from the horrors 
and brutality of slave roots, Americans of African descent are the 
epitome of strength and endurance, perseverance, intellect and 
creativity.
  Throughout America's history, Americans of African descent have 
consistently served as a catalyst for change and progress. The 
innumerable struggles and successes of the African American people have 
made it possible for all Americans to enjoy and share the same civil 
rights and privileges which we all hold so dear: freedom, liberty, and 
equality.
  It is impossible to imagine our world without the contributions of 
Americans of African descent. Americans of African descent have played 
an integral role in building this country and making it the superpower 
that we all know it to be today. From helping to fight the Civil War, 
to constructing America's most prominent addresses, the United States 
Capitol and the White House, as well as making some of the most 
important discoveries and inventions that to this day still influence 
every aspect of our lives, be it economics, politics, language, art, 
technology, food or music, Americans of African descent have made an 
extraordinary and indelible mark on American culture.
  No one chooses to be born red, yellow, brown, black or white. Rather, 
the good Lord above makes that decision. And if it is good enough for 
God, it should be good enough for all of us; and it is surely good 
enough for me.
  Therefore, I challenge each and every one of us who are gathered here 
today and all Americans to celebrate black history and the many 
different cultures that constitute this place that we all call home and 
the rest of the world calls America. After all, our diversity is our 
strength.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation, I urge 
passage of this resolution.

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