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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 387 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 387

                    Celebrating Black History Month.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 1, 2012

    Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. 
 Menendez, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. 
 Durbin, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Akaka, Mr. 
  Schumer, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Brown of Massachusetts, Mr. Merkley, Mr. 
   Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Franken, Mr. Lautenberg, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. 
Cochran, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. Levin) submitted the following resolution; 
                   which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
                    Celebrating Black History Month.

Whereas in 1776, the United States of America was imagined, as stated in the 
        Declaration of Independence, as a new country dedicated to the 
        proposition 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 distinguished themselves with a commitment to the noble 
        ideals on which the United States was founded and courageously fought 
        for the rights and freedom of African-Americans;
Whereas many African-American men and women 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;
Whereas the greatness of the United States is reflected in the contributions of 
        African-Americans in all walks of life throughout the history of the 
        United States;
Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Allen Allensworth, 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 Tuskeegee Airmen, Thurgood 
        Marshall, Rosa Parks, Bill Pickett, Jackie Robinson, Sojourner Truth, 
        and Harriet Tubman each lived a life of incandescent greatness, while 
        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, and 
        Oprah Winfrey have all benefitted from their forefathers and have served 
        as great role models and leaders for future generations to come;
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 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 of time in February 
        to recognize the heritage and achievement of black Americans;
Whereas Dr. Woodson, the ``Father of Black History'', 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, the United States has been an imperfect work in 
        making progress towards noble goals; and
Whereas the history of the United States is the story of a people regularly 
        affirming high ideals, striving to reach those ideals but often failing, 
        and then struggling to come to terms with the disappointment of that 
        failure before committing to trying again: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) acknowledges that all of the people of the United 
        States are the recipients of the wealth of history given to us 
        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 
        that lies 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 to understand the experiences 
        that have shaped the United States; and
            (5) agrees that while the United States began in division, 
        the United States must now move forward with purpose, united 
        tirelessly as one Nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice 
        for all, and to honor the contribution of all pioneers in this 
        country who help ensure the legacy of these great United 
        States.
                                 <all>
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