[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 17 (Monday, February 2, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2015

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                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 2, 2015

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect and sincere 
admiration that I rise today to celebrate Black History Month and its 
2015 theme--A Century of Black Life, History, and Culture. This year's 
theme reflects on the extraordinary contributions of African Americans 
in the arts, literature, music, history, sports, science, and pop 
culture. In celebration of this year's theme, we reflect on several of 
the important milestones that helped form the cornerstone of African 
American culture and tradition. Part of the African American fight for 
freedom included the struggle to ensure that their ideas and talents 
mattered in American culture and history.
   In the 20th century, the rise of jazz music can be linked to African 
Americans of the post World War I generation. The Harlem Renaissance 
put the spotlight on African Americans writers and artists, making 
their names known nationwide. In the 1960s, African American museums 
opened across the nation, displaying and commemorating advances made by 
African Americans in art, history, and science. Also during this time 
of transformation, African American athletes excelled in individual and 
team sports, including baseball, track and field, football, boxing, and 
basketball. In addition, student activism in the 1960s led to the black 
studies movement, the creation of black professional organizations, and 
doctoral programs at American universities.
   This month and always, it is important that we honor and celebrate 
America's greatest advocates for equal rights and civil liberties. 
Along with this month's theme, we celebrate those who have contributed 
to the foundation of African American culture, arts, and entertainment, 
including Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Jackie Robinson, Jackie 
Joyner-Kersee, Patricia Bath, and Thurgood Marshall, among many others. 
As we pay tribute to these heroes of American history, let us remember 
their profound perseverance, sacrifice, and struggle in the fight for 
freedom and equality, and the remarkable impact their contributions 
have had in shaping our great nation.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me 
in celebrating Black History Month and honoring those who fought, and 
continue to fight, for civil rights and justice. We honor the African 
American scholars, artists, athletes, and entertainers who have played 
such a critical role in changing the landscape of American society for 
the better.

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