[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3436-3437]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY WEEK

  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I wish to request that, for the 
second year in a row, the U.S. Government officially recognize the last 
week in March as Black Women's History Week. During the week of March 
28, 2016, as part of Women's History Month and in honor of the second 
year of the United Nation's International Decade for People of African 
Descent, several leading social justice organizations will be holding 
their second annual week of events to honor Black women and recognize 
their current struggles in American society. This week will shed light 
on the reality that Black

[[Page 3437]]

women confront many intersectional challenges in American society, yet 
their concerns are often pushed to the margins of public attention and 
intervention. This week marks the perfect occasion to attend to the 
often hidden experiences of Black women and to generate attention to 
address the challenges they face.
  Black women have traditionally gone above and beyond the call of duty 
in their contributions to American society. Black women have been 
inspirational symbols of strength and perseverance through their high 
voter turnout and historic leadership of racial justice movements. Even 
in the face of grave oppression throughout our Nation's history, Black 
women have continued to stand strong and contribute to the well-being 
of their families, their communities, and our country as a whole; yet 
at the same time, Black women continue to face undue burdens and 
obstacles to their own well-being. Acknowledging both the centrality of 
Black women in our history and social fabric as well as the unique 
inequalities they face is critical in our efforts to build a society 
that ensures equality and justice for all.
  In conjunction with the congressional declaration, a coalition of 
organizations advocating for the well-being of women and communities of 
color will partner to elevate the stories, histories, and realities of 
Black women's lives, building off the momentum generated by Black 
Women's History Week in 2015. Our charge is to ensure that the lives of 
Black women and girls are not overlooked and that efforts to generate 
information about their well-being is widely shared across public 
agencies and partner institutions.
  Thank you.

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