IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 83 

Recognizing the significance of Black History Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 23, 2009 

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas (for himself, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. CLAY, 

Mr. TOWNS, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. WATT, Mr. MEEKS of New York, 

Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. DAVIS

of Illinois, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. OLVER, Ms. 

KILPATRICK of Michigan, Ms. KAPTUR, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Mr. 

HINOJOSA, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mr. RUSH, Mr. RANGEL, 

Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. 

THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. DAVIS of Alabama, 

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. 

CARSON of Indiana, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. 

WATERS, and Ms. LEE of California) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the significance of Black History Month. 

Whereas the first Africans were brought involuntarily to the 

shores of America as early as the 17th century; 

Whereas these Africans in America and their descendants are 

now known as African-Americans; 

Whereas African-Americans suffered involuntary servitude 

and subsequently faced the injustices of lynch mobs, segregation, and denial of basic, fundamental rights; 


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•HRES 83 IH 

Whereas despite involuntary servitude, African-Americans 

have made significant contributions to the economic, educational, political, artistic, literary, religious, scientific, 

and technological advancement of the Americas; 

Whereas in the face of injustices, United States citizens of 

good will and of all races distinguished themselves with 

their commitment to the noble ideals 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 ideals; 

Whereas the greatness of the United States is reflected in the 

historic election of Barack Obama, an American of African ancestry, to the Office of the President of the United 

States of America; 

Whereas the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick 

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 the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 83 IH 

1 (1) recognizes the significance of Black History 

2 Month as an important time to recognize the con3 tributions of African-Americans in the Nation’s his4 tory, and encourages the continued celebration of 

5 this month to provide an opportunity for all peoples 

6 of the United States to learn more about the past 

7 and to better understand the experiences that have 

8 shaped the Nation; and 

9 (2) recognizes that the ethnic and racial diver10 sity of the United States enriches and strengthens 

11 the Nation. 

Æ 


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