[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 49 (Friday, March 26, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2158-S2159]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
Mr. BURR. Mr. President, today I rise to speak on the important
occasion of Women's History Month. Since 1987, the month of March has
been dedicated not only to remembering and appreciating the
distinguished accomplishments of women, but also to commending their
continued positive influence on society. I would like to call
particular attention to the contributions of North Carolina women, as
they have consistently proven themselves to be revolutionary in their
thoughts and actions and have contributed immensely to the development
of our Nation since its conception.
Our way of life has been bettered in countless ways by women
revolutionaries, crusaders, politicians, athletes, and everyday
citizens of North Carolina. From the 51 patriotic women who organized
the Edenton Tea Party to Dolley Madison, whose social grace and
political acumen helped create the modern White House; from Harriet
Jacobs, a North Carolina escaped slave who exposed the injustices of
slavery in her ``Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,'' to Mary Jane
Patterson, the first African-American woman to receive a bachelor of
arts degree; from Tabitha Ann Holton, the first licensed female
attorney in North Carolina and the South, to Dr. Annie Lowrie
Alexander, the State's first female physician; from Sallie Walker
Stockard, the first woman to graduate from the University of North
Carolina to Kay Yow, the great North Carolina State University women's
basketball coach who led
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American women to gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics; from Eliza Jane
Pratt, the first woman to represent North Carolina in the United States
Congress to Elizabeth Dole, the first female U.S. Senator from North
Carolina and dedicated public servant, the history of North Carolina's
women is America's history, and it is truly remarkable.
During Women's History Month, we honor the generations of women who
have achieved notoriety in the past, however, we must do more than
remember. It is imperative that we reflect on the present and prepare
for the future. It is the hardworking North Carolina women who are
continuing to serve our society as parents, doctors, teachers, nurses,
businesswomen, soldiers, marines, and in countless other capacities
that will impact our Nation's history in a powerful and positive way.
We must build on the legacy of these great North Carolina women,
especially those who serve anonymously and who have preserved the
American way of life while contributing so much to the strength and
character of our Nation. The women of our great State have triumphed
throughout our history, and I know that they will play a leading role
in our future.
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