IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 79 

Recognizing the significance of Black History Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 1, 2017 

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas (for himself, Ms. ADAMS, Ms. BASS, Mrs. BEATTY, 

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Ms. CLARKE of New 

York, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mrs. DEMINGS, Mr. ELLISON, 

Mr. EVANS, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. 

JEFFRIES, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JOHNSON of 

Georgia, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Ms. LEE, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. MCEACHIN, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. 

MOORE, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. PLASKETT, Mr. RICHMOND, Mr. 

RUSH, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. VEASEY, Ms. MAXINE WATERS of California, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, and Ms. WILSON of 

Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and the Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the significance of Black History Month. 

Whereas the theme of Black History Month for 2017 is ‘‘The 

Crisis in Black Education’’, which aims to further the 

dialogue on the critical role education plays in the advancement of the African-American community; 

Whereas the first Africans were brought involuntarily to the 

shores of the Americas as early as the 17th century; 


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•HRES 79 IH 

Whereas these Africans in America and their descendants are 

now known as African-Americans; 

Whereas African-Americans suffered enslavement and subsequently faced the injustices of lynch mobs, segregation, 

and denial of basic, fundamental rights; 

Whereas despite slavery, African-Americans in all walks of 

life have made significant contributions throughout the 

history of the United States, including through the— 

(1) writings of Booker T. Washington, Phyllis 

Wheatley, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Ralph Ellison, 

Zora Neale Hurston, and Alex Haley; 

(2) music of Mahalia Jackson, Billie Holiday, John 

Coltrane, Bessie Smith, and Duke Ellington; 

(3) resolve of athletes such as Jackie Robinson, Althea Gibson, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, and Muhammad Ali; 

(4) scientific advancements of George Washington 

Carver, Charles Drew, Benjamin Banneker, and Mae 

Jemison; 

(5) vision of leaders such as Frederick Douglass, 

Mary McLeod Bethune, Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Shirley Chisholm; and 

(6) bravery of those who stood on the front lines in 

the battle against oppression, such as Sojourner Truth, 

Fannie Lou Hammer, and Rosa Parks; 

Whereas in the face of injustices, United States citizens of 

good will and of all races distinguished themselves with 

their commitment to the noble ideas upon which the 

United States was founded and courageously fought for 

the rights and freedom of African-Americans; 

Whereas Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., lived and died to make 

real these noble ideas; 


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Whereas a memorial commemorating the life and ideals of 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was placed on the National 

Mall for all people to observe his leadership in the struggle for freedom and truth; 

Whereas Barack Hussein Obama was elected and reelected 

the 44th President of the United States, making him the 

first African-American chief executive and overcoming 

one of the last great racial challenges in politics in this 

country; 

Whereas the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick 

Douglass inspired the creation of Negro History Week, 

the precursor to Black History Month; 

Whereas Negro History Week represented the culmination of 

Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s efforts to enhance knowledge of 

Black history started through the Journal of Negro History, published by Woodson’s Association for the Study 

of African-American Life and History; and 

Whereas the month of February is officially celebrated as 

Black History Month, which dates back to 1926 when 

Dr. Carter G. Woodson set aside a special period of time 

in February to recognize the heritage and achievement of 

Black Americans: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

3 This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Original Black 

4 History Month Resolution of 2017’’. 

5 SEC. 2. RECOGNIZING SIGNIFICANCE OF BLACK HISTORY 

6 MONTH. 

7 The House of Representatives— 


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1 (1) recognizes the significance of Black History 

2 Month as an important time to acknowledge and cel3 ebrate the contributions of African-Americans in the 

4 Nation’s history, and encourages the continued cele5 bration of this month to provide an opportunity for 

6 all peoples of the United States to learn more about 

7 the past and to better understand the experiences 

8 that have shaped the Nation; 

9 (2) recognizes that ethnic and racial diversity of 

10 the United States enriches and strengthens the Na11 tion; and 

12 (3) encourages all States to include in their 

13 year-round educational curriculum the history and 

14 contributions of African-Americans in the United 

15 States and around the world. 

Æ 


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