[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3439]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          BLACK HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, this year's Black History Month comes at 
a remarkable time that will be marked in the history books for 
generations to come. The inauguration of our Nation's first African-
American President, Barack Obama, and confirmation of the first 
African-American Attorney General, Eric Holder, demonstrate our 
Nation's boundless capacity to change. All Americans have great cause 
to celebrate during this year's Black History Month our groundbreaking 
progress.
  As Civil rights icon Representative John Lewis observed, ``When he 
[President Obama] was born, people of color couldn't register to vote 
in many quarters of the deep South.'' Now, an African-American holds 
the most distinguished elected position in our country--President of 
the United States of America. This month is a time to reflect on the 
distance we have traveled, and the civil rights we have successfully 
fought for, in just one generation.
  But it is also not a time to become complacent. Americans still 
encounter injustices solely because of their background or the color of 
their skin. There still exist large and unacceptable disparities in the 
opportunities afforded many Americans for good education, health care, 
employment, and more. Black History Month provides an opportunity for 
Congress to remember that addressing these injustices and disparities 
must be an important goal for Congress in the years ahead.
  So this month let us reflect on our past triumphs, take note of this 
significant historical moment for our Nation, and look forward to an 
even brighter future as we continue working to ensure equality for all 
Americans.

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