IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 31 
Honoring the Mare Island Original 21ers for their efforts to remedy racial 
discrimination in employment at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 12, 2007 
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California submitted the following concurrent 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Honoring the Mare Island Original 21ers for their efforts 
to remedy racial discrimination in employment at Mare 
Island Naval Shipyard. 
Whereas over 45 years ago African-American workers em-
ployed by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, 
California, despite having work experiences and qualifica-
tions comparable to their counterparts, experienced racial 
discrimination resulting in the denial of opportunities in 
employment, training, and apprenticeship positions, su-
pervisory positions, promotions, and awards; 
Whereas in March 1961 President John F. Kennedy issued 
Executive Order 10925 establishing the President’s Com-
mittee on Equal Employment Opportunity and reaffirm-
ing the prohibition of discrimination against any em-
ployee of, or applicant for employment by, the Federal 
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•HCON 31 IH 
Government because of race, color, religion, or national 
origin; 
Whereas Executive Order 10925 laid the foundation for title 
VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; 
Whereas on November 17, 1961, 21 African-American ship-
yard workers at Mare Island Naval Shipyard filed a ra-
cial discrimination complaint with the Committee on 
Equal Employment Opportunity; 
Whereas the complaint outlined nine allegations of racial dis-
crimination in employment at Mare Island Naval Ship-
yard 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 acknowledg-
ment 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 quali-
fied minorities in every phase of Mare Island employ-
ment, 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 
in employment at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and re-
sulted in new employment opportunities for African- 
American workers at Mare Island Naval Shipyard; 
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•HCON 31 IH 
Whereas the Original 21ers went on to organize for equal em-
ployment opportunities in other local military facilities in 
the San Francisco Bay Area of California; and 
Whereas the heroic deeds of the Original 21ers have re-
mained heretofore unacknowledged: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), 
(1) that the Congress recognizes the historic ac-
complishments of the Mare Island Original 21ers in 
combating racial discrimination in employment as 
envisioned in title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964 and providing equal employment opportunities 
for African-American shipyard workers; 
(2) that the Congress recognizes the importance 
of the Committee on Equal Employment Oppor-
tunity as a forerunner to the Equal Employment 
Opportunity Commission which continues the fight 
in resolving complaints of racial discrimination in 
employment; and 
(3) that the Congress recognizes the importance 
of title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as a pow-
erful and ongoing tool for eliminating racial dis-
crimination in employment. 
Æ 
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