110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 31

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas over 45 years ago African-American workers employed by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, 

California, despite having work experiences and qualifications comparable to their counterparts, experienced racial 

discrimination resulting in the denial of opportunities in 

employment, training, and apprenticeship positions, supervisory positions, promotions, and awards;
2

•HCON 31 EH 

Whereas in March 1961 President John F. Kennedy issued 

Executive Order No. 10925 establishing the President’s 

Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity and reaffirming the prohibition of discrimination against any 

employee of, or applicant for employment by, the Federal 

Government because of race, color, religion, or national 

origin; 

Whereas Executive Order No. 10925 laid the foundation for 

title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; 

Whereas on November 17, 1961, 21 African-American shipyard workers at Mare Island Naval Shipyard filed a racial discrimination complaint with the Committee on 

Equal Employment Opportunity; 

Whereas the complaint outlined nine allegations of racial discrimination in employment at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and requested that the Committee investigate and 

correct the deplorable conditions at Mare Island Naval 

Shipyard; 

Whereas the filing of this complaint along with other similar 

complaints of racial discrimination led to an acknowledgment by then Defense Secretary Robert McNamara in 

1963 that there was employment discrimination based on 

race in the military; 

Whereas on November 8, 1963, the Original 21ers Club was 

officially recognized with the purpose of elevating qualified minorities in every phase of Mare Island employment, creating a better relationship between management 

and employees and better acquainting their membership 

with the working conditions of every occupation; 

Whereas the actions and persistence of the Original 21ers 

provided the means for overturning racial discrimination 
3

•HCON 31 EH 

in employment at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and resulted in new employment opportunities for AfricanAmerican workers at Mare Island Naval Shipyard; 

Whereas the Original 21ers went on to organize for equal employment opportunities in other local military facilities in 

the San Francisco Bay Area of California; and 

Whereas the heroic deeds of the Original 21ers have remained heretofore unacknowledged: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) recognizes the historic accomplishments of 

4 the Mare Island Original 21ers in combating racial 

5 discrimination in employment as envisioned in title 

6 VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and providing 

7 equal employment opportunities for African-Amer8 ican shipyard workers; 

9 (2) recognizes the importance of the Committee 

10 on Equal Employment Opportunity as a forerunner 

11 to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 

12 which continues the fight in resolving complaints of 

13 racial discrimination in employment; and 

14 (3) recognizes the importance of title VII of the 

15 Civil Rights Act of 1964 as a powerful and ongoing 
4

•HCON 31 EH 

1 tool for eliminating racial discrimination in employ2 ment. 

Passed the House of Representatives January 17, 

2007. 

Attest:

Clerk. 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 31

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Honoring the Mare Island Original 21ers for their 

ment at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.efforts to remedy racial discrimination in employ-