[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 40 (Monday, March 3, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING VIRGINIA'S FOURTH DISTRICT BLACK HISTORY MONTH ESSAY 
     CONTEST--1ST PLACE MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNER, AUGUSTUS REZBA-PATEL

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JENNIFER L. McCLELLAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 3, 2025

  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following 
essay from Virginia's Fourth District Black History Month Essay 
Contest--1st Place middle school contest winner, Augustus Rezba-Patel.

       Women are 17 percent of active-duty U.S. military members 
     today. They serve in combat and leadership roles and are 
     vital to the function of the U.S. military. But it wasn't 
     always this way. When Charity Adams-Early joined the military 
     in 1942, women were restricted to certain occupations and 
     comprised just 1 percent of the military. Not only that, but 
     people were discriminatory to Black Americans, restricting 
     their education, housing, and neighborhoods. Even the 
     military was segregated by race. Despite these barriers, 
     Charity Adams-Early overcame both racism and misogyny to 
     become the highest-ranking Black woman in the military during 
     WWII.
       Charity Adams-Early was born in Kittrell, North Carolina on 
     December 5, 1918, two years before women's suffrage, where 
     segregation and racial prejudice were social norms. She often 
     faced challenges that tested her resilience, but with her 
     mother's help, she excelled at learning, graduating high 
     school two years early as the valedictorian. She attended 
     Wilberforce University, triple-majoring in Latin, physics, 
     and math. After graduating, she taught math and science 
     (Eley).
       When WWII started, the U.S. rapidly expanded the military. 
     In 1942, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was formed, 
     allowing skillful women to serve. Adams-Early was highly 
     recommended and was accepted. She arrived at Fort Des Moines, 
     Iowa, in July, to start training. Segregation immediately 
     took effect when she arrived at the fort, with White and 
     Black women assigned to different barracks. Adams-Early 
     prevailed over racism to become the first Black officer in 
     the WAAC, and was promoted to Major in 1943, meaning she was 
     high rank (Eley).
       Adams-Early overcame systemic racism. Believe it or not, 
     systemic racism is happening right under our noses at this 
     exact moment. For example, my school's Honors English class 
     is mostly White, while the non-honors classes are mostly 
     Black. This isn't because our Black students have less 
     potential, but because their Elementary schools didn't get as 
     much financial support as other schools, giving them fewer 
     opportunities for advanced academics and extracurriculars. 
     Another example of systemic racism is the story of Richmond's 
     Jackson Ward. Jackson Ward was a positive place, where black 
     people and businesses thrived. Then, in 1958, the state put 
     the highway right through their neighborhood, cutting them 
     off from their businesses and jobs, leading to unemployment 
     and poverty.
       Adams-Early also faced sexism because in 1940 many people 
     hated the idea of a woman achieving more than them (and still 
     do). Women didn't even have the right to maintain a fixed 
     status in the military. So Adams had the worst of it.
       Charity Adams-Early overcame many social and systemic 
     obstacles. She paved the way for generations of women and 
     Black Americans in the military. Today women and Black people 
     hold leadership roles, serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
     advise the President, and serve as Cabinet leaders. We all 
     owe her a lot, but we still have much to learn from her. 
     Currently, women and people of color can learn from her and 
     face systemic racism and sexism by always being determined 
     and never giving up.

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