IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 455 

Expressing support for Black service members this Memorial Day who gave 

their lives to protect and defend the United States at home and abroad 

despite facing racism in the Armed Forces and systemic inequities on 

United States soil. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 26, 2023 

Mrs. CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK (for herself, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. BISHOP of 

Georgia, Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. JOHNSON of 

Georgia, Mr. LIEU, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CARSON, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, 

Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. BROWN, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. THOMPSON

of Mississippi, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. PORTER, Mr. 

GREEN of Texas, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Ms. SLOTKIN, Mr. EVANS, 

Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Mr. 

MEEKS, Mr. HORSFORD, Mr. GARCI ́A of Illinois, Mr. KILMER, and Ms. 

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

Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for Black service members this Memorial 

Day who gave their lives to protect and defend the 

United States at home and abroad despite facing racism 

in the Armed Forces and systemic inequities on United 

States soil. 

Whereas, for over 200 years, Black service members of the 

Armed Forces have fought and given their lives in every 

United States conflict since the Revolutionary War; 


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•HRES 455 IH 

Whereas over 5,000 free and enslaved Black colonials fought 

with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary 

War; 

Whereas nearly 40,000 Black soldiers died over the course of 

the Civil War; 

Whereas more than 350,000 African Americans served in 

segregated units during World War I and an estimated 

770 died; 

Whereas more than 1,200,000 African-American men and 

women served in segregated units in every branch of the 

United States Armed Forces during World War II, with 

over 700 dying in war operations; 

Whereas Black members of the Armed Forces fought the 

forces of fascism abroad while battling racism on United 

States soil and in the United States military; 

Whereas, in 1948, President Truman issued Executive Order 

9981 to desegregate the Armed Forces, and an estimated 

600,000 Black members of the Armed Forces served in 

the Korean War, with more than 5,000 giving their lives 

to stop the invasion of South Korea by communist forces; 

Whereas approximately 300,000 African Americans served in 

the Vietnam War, and 7,267 Black Americans died; 

Whereas nearly 25 percent of all members of the Armed 

Forces who served in the Persian Gulf War were Black, 

and 63 Black men and 3 Black women died in military 

operations during that war; and 

Whereas between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 United States individuals served in the Armed Forces during the Global 

War on Terror, and more than 7,000 died, with Black 

members of the Armed Forces making up 21 percent of 

the Army, 17 percent of the Marine Corps, 10 percent of 


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•HRES 455 IH 

the Air Force, 10 percent of the Navy, and 5.8 percent 

of the Coast Guard, despite representing 13 percent of 

the population; Now, therefore, be it— 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives ex2 presses support this Memorial Day for Black service mem3 bers who gave their lives to protect and defend the United 

4 States at home and abroad despite facing racism in the 

5 Armed Forces and systemic inequities on United States 

6 soil. 

Æ 


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