[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 6, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CELEBRATING CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK WOMEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Kelly) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of 
Women's History Month and specifically in celebration of the Black 
women who have shaped the fabric of our Nation, often without much 
acknowledgment or praise.
  As co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, I 
am deeply committed to correcting these historical injustices and 
ensuring that Black women and girls are given the recognition and the 
resources that they deserve. Black women and girls deserve every 
possible chance to thrive in school, at work, and in all phases of 
life.
  For centuries, Black women have been the hidden figures, the unsung 
heroes who have steered our Nation through social revolutions, critical 
periods of growth, and eras of innovation. From the civil rights 
movement to the labor movement, Black women have time and time again 
pushed the needle of progress forward.
  I acknowledge two exemplary trailblazers who I often credit as 
inspiration for my own work to build a better world.
  Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the United States 
Congress and the first woman to run for the Presidency, embodied the 
spirit of courage and resilience.
  She was truly ``unbought and unbossed.'' She fought back against 
racism and sexism and never listened when someone told her that she 
couldn't achieve her dreams. She was a beacon of hope for those of us 
with an unwavering commitment to justice.
  Barbara Jordan, the first Black woman elected to the Texas Senate and 
the first southern Black woman elected to the United States House of 
Representatives, made history in countless ways.
  She brought the issues of her communities to the forefront and 
ensured that Congress invested in Black women. She rose above 
partisanship and spoke truth in the Halls of power.
  Today as I speak in this Chamber, I stand on their shoulders, but let 
us not forget, whether in the Halls of Congress, academia, the 
corporate world, or, in my case, my entrepreneurial grandmother and my 
activist mother, there are many shoulders that we can stand on.
  Women's History Month serves as a poignant reminder that the 
contributions of Black women must be amplified and celebrated, ensuring 
their rightful place in the annals of our Nation's history.

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