[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5222]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. BURR. Mr. President, today I rise to speak on the important 
occasion of Women's History Month. Since 1987, the month of March has 
been dedicated not only to remembering and appreciating the 
distinguished accomplishments of women, but also to commending their 
continued positive influence on society. I would like to call 
particular attention to the contributions of North Carolina women, as 
they have consistently proven themselves to be revolutionary in their 
thoughts and actions and have contributed immensely to the development 
of our Nation since its conception.
  Our way of life has been bettered in countless ways by women 
revolutionaries, crusaders, politicians, athletes, and everyday 
citizens of North Carolina. From the 51 patriotic women who organized 
the Edenton Tea Party to Dolley Madison, whose social grace and 
political acumen helped create the modern White House; from Harriet 
Jacobs, a North Carolina escaped slave who exposed the injustices of 
slavery in her ``Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,'' to Mary Jane 
Patterson, the first African-American woman to receive a bachelor of 
arts degree; from Tabitha Ann Holton, the first licensed female 
attorney in North Carolina and the South, to Dr. Annie Lowrie 
Alexander, the State's first female physician; from Sallie Walker 
Stockard, the first woman to graduate from the University of North 
Carolina to Kay Yow, the great North Carolina State University women's 
basketball coach who led American women to gold at the 1988 Seoul 
Olympics; from Eliza Jane Pratt, the first woman to represent North 
Carolina in the United States Congress to Elizabeth Dole, the first 
female U.S. Senator from North Carolina and dedicated public servant, 
the history of North Carolina's women is America's history, and it is 
truly remarkable.
  During Women's History Month, we honor the generations of women who 
have achieved notoriety in the past, however, we must do more than 
remember. It is imperative that we reflect on the present and prepare 
for the future. It is the hardworking North Carolina women who are 
continuing to serve our society as parents, doctors, teachers, nurses, 
businesswomen, soldiers, marines, and in countless other capacities 
that will impact our Nation's history in a powerful and positive way. 
We must build on the legacy of these great North Carolina women, 
especially those who serve anonymously and who have preserved the 
American way of life while contributing so much to the strength and 
character of our Nation. The women of our great State have triumphed 
throughout our history, and I know that they will play a leading role 
in our future.

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