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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 363 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 363

                    Celebrating Black History Month.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 26, 2014

  Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mrs. Hagan, Mr. Levin, Mr. Casey, Mr. 
   Isakson, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Begich, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. 
 Cardin, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Wyden, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Schumer, 
 Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Markey, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Menendez, 
  Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Warner, Mr. 
Nelson, Mr. Coburn, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Coons, 
  Mr. Durbin, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Portman, Mr. Carper, Mr. Grassley, 
  Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Booker, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Wicker, Mr. 
  Franken, Mr. Scott, Ms. Warren, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. 
   Udall of Colorado) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
                    Celebrating Black History Month.

Whereas in 1776, people imagined the United States as a new country dedicated to 
        the proposition stated in the Declaration of Independence that ``all men 
        are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain 
        unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit 
        of Happiness . . .'';
Whereas the first Africans were brought involuntarily to the shores of America 
        as early as the 17th century;
Whereas African Americans suffered enslavement and subsequently faced the 
        injustices of lynch mobs, segregation, and denial of the basic and 
        fundamental rights of citizenship;
Whereas inequalities and injustices in our society still exist today;
Whereas in the face of injustices, people of the United States of good will and 
        of all races have distinguished themselves with a commitment to the 
        noble ideals on which the United States was founded and have 
        courageously fought for the rights and freedom of African Americans;
Whereas African Americans, such as James Beckwourth, Bill Pickett, Lieutenant 
        Colonel Allen Allensworth, and Clara Brown, along with many others, 
        worked against racism to achieve success and have made significant 
        contributions to the economic, educational, political, artistic, 
        literary, scientific, and technological advancements of the United 
        States, including the westward expansion;
Whereas the contributions of African Americans from all walks of life throughout 
        the history of the United States reflect the greatness of the United 
        States;
Whereas Muhammad Ali, Constance Baker Motley, James Baldwin, James Beckwourth, 
        Clara Brown, Ralph Bunche, Shirley Chisholm, Frederick Douglass, W. E. 
        B. Du Bois, Ralph Ellison, Alex Haley, Dorothy Height, Lena Horne, 
        Charles Hamilton Houston, Mahalia Jackson, Martin Luther King, Jr., the 
        Tuskegee Airmen, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Bill Pickett, Jackie 
        Robinson, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Homer Plessy, the Greensboro 
        Four, Simeon Booker, and Booker T. Washington each lived a life of 
        incandescent greatness;
Whereas many African Americans lived, toiled, and died in obscurity, never 
        achieving the recognition they deserved, and yet paved the way for 
        future generations to succeed;
Whereas pioneers, such as Maya Angelou, Arthur Ashe, Jr., Carol Moseley Braun, 
        Ronald Brown, Ursula Burns, Kenneth Chenault, David Dinkins, Alexis 
        Herman, Mae Jemison, Earvin ``Magic'' Johnson, Sheila Johnson, James 
        Earl Jones, David Paterson, Marian Wright Edelman, Alice Walker, Oprah 
        Winfrey, General Colin Powell, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, and Clarence Thomas 
        have all benefitted from their forefathers and have served as great role 
        models and leaders for future generations;
Whereas on November 4, 2008, the people of the United States elected an African-
        American man, Barack Obama, as President of the United States;
Whereas African Americans continue to serve the United States at the highest 
        levels of government and military;
Whereas on February 22, 2012, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle 
        Obama, along with former First Lady Laura Bush, celebrated the 
        groundbreaking of the National Museum of African American History and 
        Culture on the National Mall, in Washington, DC;
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 the efforts of Dr. 
        Carter G. Woodson, the ``Father of Black History'', to enhance knowledge 
        of Black history through the Journal of Negro History, published by the 
        Association for the Study of African American Life and History, which 
        was founded by Dr. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland;
Whereas Black History Month, celebrated during the month of February, dates back 
        to 1926 when Dr. Woodson set aside a special period in February to 
        recognize the heritage and achievement of Black people of the United 
        States;
Whereas Dr. Woodson stated: ``We have a wonderful history behind us. . . . If 
        you are unable to demonstrate to the world that you have this record, 
        the world will say to you, `You are not worthy to enjoy the blessings of 
        democracy or anything else.''';
Whereas since the founding of the United States, the country imperfectly 
        progressed towards noble goals; and
Whereas the history of the United States is the story of people regularly 
        affirming high ideals, striving to reach such ideals but often failing, 
        and then struggling to come to terms with the disappointment of such 
        failure, before committing to trying again: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) acknowledges that all people of the United States are 
        the recipients of the wealth of history provided by Black 
        culture;
            (2) recognizes the importance of Black History Month as an 
        opportunity to reflect on the complex history of the United 
        States, while remaining hopeful and confident about the path 
        ahead;
            (3) acknowledges the significance of Black History Month as 
        an important opportunity to recognize the tremendous 
        contributions of African Americans to the history of the United 
        States;
            (4) encourages the celebration of Black History Month to 
        provide a continuing opportunity for all people in the United 
        States to learn from the past and understand the experiences 
        that have shaped the United States; and
            (5) agrees that, while the United States began as a divided 
        nation, the United States must--
                    (A) honor the contribution of all pioneers in the 
                United States who have helped to ensure the legacy of 
                the great United States; and
                    (B) move forward with purpose, united tirelessly as 
                ``one Nation . . . indivisible, with liberty and 
                justice for all.''.
                                 <all>
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