[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 24, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Costa). The Chair recognizes the 
gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. Bourdeaux) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BOURDEAUX. Mr. Speaker, this week, as February becomes March, 
Black History Month comes to an end. But I want to be clear, every 
month is Black History Month because Black history is American history.
  Today, I am thinking of the amazing Black women and men who inspire 
us daily and who changed the world.
  I am thinking of Ruby Bridges who, at only 6 years old, became the 
first Black student to integrate a southern elementary school.
  I am thinking of Gwinnett's own Beauty Baldwin, the first Black woman 
to be a school superintendent in Georgia.
  I am thinking of Hank Aaron, who showed the world the meaning of 
Black excellence when he broke Babe Ruth's home run record, and he was 
a proud Georgian.
  I am thinking of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an Atlanta preacher who 
shared his dream with the world and, in the process, changed it 
forever.
  And I am thinking of Senator Raphael Warnock, who preached from the 
same pulpit as Dr. King, and who now follows in his footsteps as an 
advocate for change.

                              {time}  1030

  I am thinking of Kamala Harris, our Nation's first Black and first 
female Vice President, and of all the Black and Brown girls around the 
country who are finally able to look at the White House and see 
themselves reflected there.
  Finally, I am thinking of our beloved Georgia friend, mentor, and 
colleague, John Lewis. Congressman Lewis would have turned 81 this 
weekend. Congressman Lewis spent his life getting into good trouble.
  At 21, he was one of the original 13 Freedom Riders. At 23, as the 
chairman of SNCC, he spoke at the March on Washington. At 25, he led 
the march from Selma to Montgomery, in the process withstanding all the 
violence and hatred local and State officials could throw at him.
  Congressman Lewis went on to serve Atlanta on both the city council 
and in Congress for more than 35 years, becoming the conscience of the 
Congress.
  The tireless work of heroes like John Lewis pushes me to continue 
pursuing equitable and just policies. Over the past 2 years, our 
country has had a much-needed awakening to the systemic inequality 
people of color face every single day. I promise to continue using my 
privilege as a Member of Congress to try to break down that inequality 
wherever it is found.
  In that spirit, I am proud to be cosponsoring some critical pieces of 
legislation being considered in Congress: H.R. 1, the For the People 
Act, a transformational bill that seeks to ensure free and fair 
elections and easy access to the ballot box, to secure nonpartisan 
redistricting, and to put people over dark money and special interests 
in elections; the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the first-ever 
bold, comprehensive approach to holding police accountable, changing 
the culture of law enforcement and building trust between law 
enforcement and our communities by addressing systemic racism and 
biases in order to help save lives; H.R. 40, which creates a commission 
to study reparations; H.R. 55, the Emmett Till Antilynching Act; H.R. 
959 to address the Black maternal mortality crisis in America; a 
resolution to recognize the difficulty Black veterans face when 
returning home after serving our country; and a resolution to award the 
Congressional Gold Medal, Congress' highest honor, to the Freedom 
Riders.
  Of course, while it hasn't been introduced, you can be certain my 
name will be one of the first ones signed up to cosponsor the John 
Lewis Voting Rights Act, which will restore and modernize portions of 
the Voting Rights Act scrapped by the Supreme Court. The right to vote 
is sacred. John Lewis knew that better than most, and we must protect 
it.
  Nor is it enough to sign on to these pieces of legislation and call 
it a day. Just as Black history should be celebrated every month, every 
piece of legislation we consider must also be looked at for how it will 
impact our Black communities.
  Mr. Speaker, as I deliver remarks today in celebration of Black 
History Month, I would be wrong to not acknowledge that yesterday was 
the 1-year anniversary of the murder--yes, the murder--of Ahmaud 
Arbery. A young man from my State of Georgia, Ahmaud was killed while 
going out for a jog, a simple luxury that so many of us enjoy without 
fear of harm.
  Ahmaud's case and the way it was handled continue to show us all that 
inherent biases and systemic racism remain prevalent in our society. We 
here on this floor must do everything we can to break those barriers 
down. You have my word, I will continue to do so.

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