[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 34 (Tuesday, March 4, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3080-S3081]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                        BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2003

 Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I rise today in honor and 
recognition of Black History Month. Inspired by an Illinois native, Dr. 
Carter G. Woodson, the month of February allows Americans an 
opportunity to honor and celebrate the achievements African Americans 
have made to our country.
  Earning his bachelors and master's degrees from the University of 
Chicago, Dr. Woodson feared that the history of African Americans was 
quickly fading into obscurity. Realizing that past contributions by 
African Americans needed to be documented and taught, Dr. Woodson 
devoted his time popularizing Black history amongst the masses. He 
concluded, ``if a race had no recorded history, its achievements would 
be forgotten and, in time, claimed by other groups.'' In 1915, Dr. 
Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and 
History, ASNLH, and in 1916 they released the first publication of the 
Journal of Negro History, a publication for which Dr. Woodson served as 
editor and director until his death in 1950.
  In 1926, Dr. Woodson established Negro History Week, which expanded 
to Black History Month in 1976. Thanks to the efforts and achievements 
of Dr.

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Woodson and others, each year our Nation celebrates the history of 
African Americans and the contributions they have made for the entire 
month of February.
  I am proud to say my home State of Illinois is rich in African-
American History and I would like to share some of the great 
accomplishments African-American Illinoisans have made to our country. 
Beyond the well known Illinoisans like Miles Davis and James Cleveland 
who transcended racial lines in the music industry, there exist lesser-
known Illinoisans who have made tremendous impacts on our society.
  Take for example Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African-American woman 
in space. Raised in Chicago, Dr. Jemison graduated from Morgan Park 
High School in 1973. At age 16, she entered Stanford University on 
scholarship where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 
chemical engineering, and fulfilled the requirements for an A.B. in 
African and Afro-American Studies. On September 12, 1992, Dr. Jemison 
flew into space aboard the space shuttle Endeavor, becoming the first 
woman of color to venture into space. Along with this tremendous 
accomplishment, Dr. Jemison has focused on improving the status, 
quality, and image of the scientist, specifically encouraging women and 
minorities to pursue careers in science. For example, she founded The 
Jemison Group, Inc., to research, develop, and implement advanced 
technologies suited to the social, political, cultural, and economic 
context of the individual, especially for the developing world.
  Along with Dr. Jemison, there are countless others in Illinois that 
have had a tremendous impact on the lives of many Americans. One such 
example is those affiliated with the Illinois Theater Center in 
Chicago. In honor of Black History Month each February, the Illinois 
Theater Center produces an African-American play. This year is no 
different, with the Theater presenting a play titled ``Master Harold 
and the Boys''. The drama is the work of South Africa's leading 
playwright, and was recently chosen as ``One of the Most Significant 
Plays of the 20th Century'' by the National Royal Theater in London. 
Set in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 1950, it depicts the coming-of-
age of a white teenager and his relationship with the two black men who 
work as waiters at his parents' restaurant.
  Dr. Jemison, and those of the Illinois Theater Center continue to 
carry on Dr. Woodson's goal of popularizing Black history. Black 
History Month allows others, like myself, to commend these remarkable 
individuals on their tireless efforts and accomplishments. However, 
while we honor the great strides made by African Americans in 
overcoming obstacles and color barriers, we must also look ahead and 
recognize the great obstacles that still hinder African Americans 
today.
  One such obstacle is the issue of HIV/AIDS. Although African 
Americans make up about 12 percent of the U.S. population, they 
accounted for half of the new HIV cases reported in the United States 
in 2001. African Americans have accounted for nearly 315,000 of the 
more than 816,000 AIDS cases reported since the beginning of the 
epidemic. By the end of December 2001, more than 168,000 African 
Americans had died from AIDS. These astonishing statistics remind us 
that the issue of HIV/AIDS infiltrates all borders and is not exclusive 
to developing nations.
  Earlier this month the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 
noted that the 25 States that track HIV cases reported an increase in 
new diagnoses. As the number of HIV cases increase, prevention programs 
must continue to develop in cities across the United States. One 
particular prevention program, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, works to 
reduce the risk of HIV among African Americans living in shelters and 
other transitional living facilities throughout the greater Chicago 
area. The program trains shelter staff and volunteers to be HIV and STD 
prevention peer educators and provides personalized HIV counseling, 
testing and referral services to those at risk for HIV. Programs like 
these will help fight this terrible epidemic.
  To fulfill the dreams of visionaries like Dr. Woodson and Dr. 
Jemison, progress must be made in breaking down barriers that continue 
to hinder African Americans. All of these great Illinoisans, and the 
countless others, struggled against violence and bigotry, but each 
managed to demonstrate through their distinctive talents that racism 
and bigotry are un-American. I urge all Americans to learn more about 
the history of African Americans in this country, and acknowledge the 
contributions of African Americans to our great Nation.

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