[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 20, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E349]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                   2018: THE YEAR OF THE BLACK WOMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. JOYCE BEATTY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 19, 2018

  Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today during Women's 
History Month to honor the extraordinary accomplishments made by Black 
women throughout our nation's history.
  In 1987, Congress declared March to be National Women's History 
Month, giving the nation the chance to reflect on and salute the 
trailblazers who paved the way for many of the rights women have today.
  I am blessed to be able to stand upon the shoulders of such great 
Black women, who sacrificed so much to help secure equal rights for all 
Americans, including generations yet unborn.
  Some are household names, such as Rosa Parks.
  In her defiance to give up her bus seat on a Montgomery City Bus in 
December 1961, she sparked the peaceful 381-day Montgomery bus boycott, 
leading to the desegregation of our nation's public transportation 
systems.
  There is also Shirley Chisholm who in 1968 became the first Black 
woman elected to Congress.
  Only four years later, she became the first woman to seek the 
Democratic presidential nomination.
  In my own state of Ohio, there is Ellen Walker Craig-Jones, the first 
Black woman to be elected mayor in the United States by popular vote.
  Ohio also gave us Irene Long, the first female chief medical officer 
at the Kennedy Space Center.
  These women, and so many others, helped make it possible for me to 
stand here, on the floor of the House of Representatives, with my 
fellow women of the Congressional Black Caucus.
  We owe them a debt of gratitude.
  But, this Women's History Month, not only should we honor the history 
that has been made; we should look forward, to the history that will be 
made.
  We are so fortunate to have Black women who continue to lead the way:
  Public servants like new Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms;
  Organizers and advocates like those who led the Women's March; and 
Patrisse Cullors, who co-founded Black Lives Matter; and Tarana Burke, 
who first used ``Me Too'' to raise awareness of the pervasiveness of 
sexual harassment and assault in our society.
  Women continue to face workplace discrimination, a higher risk of 
sexual assault, and an earnings gap that will cost the average woman 
hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of her working 
lifetime.
  ``Me too,'' a simple phrase turned hashtag, has galvanized millions 
into action, letting those who continue to treat women as second-class 
citizens know that time's up.
  Countless more Black women are unknown outside of their own families 
and communities, but still deserve admiration:
  The Black women who sent a message to this administration, by showing 
up in Alabama to vote in the first Democratic Senator from the state in 
25 years;
  The Black women who have marched and continue to do so to have their 
voices heard;
  The Black women who will attend school and college against the odds, 
who will run for office, who will fight for what they believe.
  All are part of our history and their courage and dedication have 
helped to sustain the American spirit by breaking down barriers, 
creating new opportunities, and inspiring the next generation.
  Still, there is more work to be done to provide women with the 
economic security and opportunities they deserve and their families 
need.
  We must diversify our workplaces to reflect what our communities look 
like.
  Statistics show that companies with more racial, ethnic, and gender 
diversity are more likely to be successful.
   When women--and in particular, women of color--are allowed to 
succeed, then we all succeed. That has been true throughout our 
nation's history.
  It is my honor to celebrate Women's History Month by recognizing all 
those who came before me, to continue to work every day to create an 
even brighter future for all Americans.

                          ____________________