The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H566-H570 on Feb. 6, 2008.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Mr. HODES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 942) recognizing the significance of Black History Month.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 942
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 descendents 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;
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 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
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the significance of Black History Month as an important time to recognize the contributions of African-Americans in the Nation's history, and encourages the continued celebration of this month to provide an opportunity for all peoples of the United States to learn more about the past and to better understand the experiences that have shaped the Nation; and
(2) recognizes that the ethnic and racial diversity of the United States enriches and strengthens the Nation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Hodes) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Feeney) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Hampshire.
General Leave
Mr. HODES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New Hampshire?
There was no objection.
Mr. HODES. Mr. Speaker, I yield to myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H. Res. 942 which calls for Congress to recognize the significance of February as Black History Month.
H. Res. 942 was introduced by Representative Al Green of Texas on January 28, 2008, and was considered by and reported from the Oversight Committee on January 29, 2008, by voice vote. The measure has the support and cosponsorship of 55 Members of Congress, yet gives us all an opportunity to pay tribute to the remarkable contributions African Americans have made to America's growth, development, and rich history.
As we are aware, February marks the beginning of Black History Month, which was first celebrated as Negro History Week in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, a noted African American author and scholar, but has since become a month-long commemorative celebration as a way of recognizing and highlighting the role black Americans have played in America since the existence of our country and the role they continue to play on a daily basis.
Across our great land, Black History Month is marked by the offering of educational and cultural programs, heightened media coverage and special celebrations and events, all designed to share with the world the strength, ingenuity, and accomplishments of our fellow American citizens.
Mr. Speaker, as we move to recognize Black History Month and this year's theme of ``Carter G. Woodson and the Origins of Multiculturalism in America,'' let's all recall the experiences and valuable contributions of African Americans to our fine country. Let us not forget that black history is truly American history.
And with that, Mr. Speaker, I urge the swift passage of H. Res. 942.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FEENEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I'm honored to speak today in support of H. Res. 942, recognizing the significance of Black History Month, sponsored by my distinguished colleague from Texas (Mr. Al Green).
Just a few weeks ago, we celebrated the life and accomplishments of one great man, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and today we pay tribute to the contributions all African Americans have made to this great country.
Each February we express our appreciation of the struggles, determination, and perseverance of the African American community of the past and present. Nothing serves as a better example of this than the civil rights movement itself.
Rev. King would tell you that it was not the sole efforts of one man but the collective work of many that achieved so much. Without the civil rights movement, our Nation would not have the strong diversity of which it is so proud.
Beyond this, February is also a time to recognize the contributions of African Americans that have enriched our culture and our heritage. We must continue to learn the historical struggles of African American citizens in order to better understand the experiences that have shaped this Nation.
There have been great activists, politicians, artists, writers, poets, scientists, economists, athletes, entertainers, and musicians that have all bettered our way of life. The achievements of so many have encouraged today's youth to strive for a more equal and free country.
It is impossible to celebrate Black History Month without mentioning such noted leaders as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, and, once again, Dr. King himself. Their historic efforts inspired a Nation and brought past injustices to light, bringing forth beginning to an end of racial inequality.
When Harvard scholar Dr. Carter G. Woodson had the idea to create a week-long celebration of black history back in 1926, his goal was to
``make the world see the Negro as a participant, rather than as a lay figure in history.''
Over time, it has become the month-long commemoration that it is today, and it is with great pleasure that I speak today in support of H. Res. 942.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HODES. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to my distinguished colleague from Texas (Mr. Al Green) and, in doing so, commend him for his extraordinary leadership in introducing this resolution and his service to the United States.
Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his very kind words and compliment him on the outstanding job that he is doing in the United States Congress, and I'm always honored to have the opportunity to serve and work with the gentleman.
I also thank my colleague on the other side of the aisle who has graciously helped us with this resolution and helped us bring it to the floor.
This resolution has received bipartisan support. I can say with a great degree of sincerity that not one Member that I approached about signing on to this resolution had any reservation, hesitation, or consternation. Every Member saw this as a worthwhile resolution, and I want to thank all of the Members who are now supporting it and who will vote for it.
I also am honored to make this expression of appreciation on behalf of the millions of Africans who are in America and who are known as African Americans. They cherish this day. This day means something to persons in the African American community. So they, too, would express appreciation, and I do so as one of their representatives in the United States Congress.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution gives us an opportunity to tell a portion of the greatest story never told. One of the great stories in world history is the story of Africans in the Americas and, more specifically, Africans in America today. This month allows us, and through this resolution we are allowed, to talk about some of the great accomplishments of African Americans, and Mr. Feeney has been so generous with his compliments and the persons that he has named. My colleague has been very generous with his compliments as well.
{time} 1445
But I want to name just a few more, because at a time like this, on occasions like this, we want to make sure that we say as much as we can, understanding that we cannot say enough.
So on occasions such as this, we'd like to at least mention the prolific poetry of Phyllis Wheatley. We want to say that there was the scientific genius of Benjamin Banneker, who, by the way, was self-
educated, a self-educated scientist, astronomer and inventor. We'd like to mention the legal brilliance of Macon B. Allen, who became the first African American admitted to the bar in the United States in 1845.
We should mention the colossal courage of Harriet Tubman, who, with her Underground Railroad, took persons from slavery to freedom. And we have to mention that she didn't do it alone. African Americans are not free because they were able to extricate themselves from slavery; they are free because they had help along the way from persons of good will of all ethnicities and races, all genders. People of good will have been of service in this fight for freedom for African Americans, and we should never have this kind of celebration and not mention the fact that we are here because there were many others who made it possible for us to have the opportunities we have. Many lived and died, and they were not all African Americans.
On occasions such as this, we mention the political prowess of P.B.S. Pinchback, who was the first African American elected Governor to become Governor of a State; he became Governor of the State of Louisiana in 1872.
These are some of the notables that we mention. But we should also mention that African Americans answered the clarion call to serve the Nation in times of war. They were there at the Boston Massacre. You will recall that Crispus Attucks was the first person killed, an African American. They were there at the Revolutionary War. Five thousand slaves and freedmen fought in the Revolutionary War, with the Continental Army, with the Navy, and with the militia in the Revolutionary War.
They were there in World War I; 350,000 African Americans were there in World War I to serve our country. In World War II, 2.5 million registered, and approximately 1 million served. And, of course, we can never forget the Tuskegee Airmen. They were not only there but they were so outstanding that the President of the United States came to these Halls and presented them a Congressional Gold Medal.
America is not a perfect Nation, but it does provide the means by which we can strive for perfection. And I am so honored that by passing this resolution, we continue to reach for the ultimate perfection in the United States of America.
Mr. HODES. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I am proud to yield 7 minutes to my distinguished colleague, Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has represented the City of Washington, DC for many years and is known universally as a passionate advocate for truth and justice.
Ms. NORTON. I thank the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Hodes) for that generous introduction. And I thank my good friend, Mr. Feeney from Florida, for also coming forward and robustly leading this bill forward today. We all owe thanks to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green), from whom we've just heard, who is the sponsor of this particular resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor to make, perhaps, an unusual point. During Black History Month, we should remember that black history is still being made. The best evidence, of course, is that an African American is close to, perhaps, getting the Democratic nomination for President. This breakthrough is not surprising when you consider that we are still living in a period for black history-making because the shackles of segregation and of nationwide discrimination were removed only about 40 years ago. So you will hear many firsts, many record-
breakers continue to come forward for years to come.
We don't really have to go to the history books in the 19th century, and earlier, to find history makers who should be revered this month. We are literally still surrounded by living black history on which history has spoken. Now, mind you I say ``on which history has spoken,'' I mean you don't have the verdict of history until you can stand back from it. And, therefore, I want to make a few remarks about living history from the Congress of the United States.
It is probably the case that most Americans do not recognize that the first African American elected by popular vote to the United States Senate was Senator Edward Brooke, who served from 1967 to 1979. This is real living history, my friends. Now a robust 87, Senator Brooke broke more records than anybody I know. He became a Senator, '67 to '79, at a time when breakthroughs hadn't begun to occur. And he became a Senator from an overwhelmingly white State that was also overwhelmingly Democratic, and he was a Republican, a life-long Republican. Before that, he had become the State's first black attorney general.
I know Senator Brooke for reasons that are close to home. If you grew up in Washington, you will know him because, in studying black history, we studied this living history in our midst. He is a native Washingtonian. He graduated from Dunbar High School, the same high school I attended; served in World War II in the segregated 366th; went to Howard University and Howard law school, lived a segregated life his whole life. Then when he got out of the Army and got out of law school, he went to seek his fortune, not in his hometown, but in Massachusetts, where he practiced law and then had the audacity to run for office in a State where his party was pitifully outnumbered and in a State where he had to risk race when few had done so.
He tells the fascinating story of his life in his own autobiography called ``Bridging the Divide.'' It was published in 2006. And that's exactly what Senator Brooke did. He bridged the divide, brought Democrats and Republicans together, brought blacks and whites together, and became a history maker of the first order and one who served in the Congress of the United States.
I must say that the President has already understood his significance in American history because a few years ago, President Bush awarded Senator Brooke the highest national honor, the Presidential Medal of Honor. And, once more, the Senate has the jump on us. Of course, Edward Brooke was a Member of the Senate, but the Senate has unanimously voted that Senator Brooke should receive the highest congressional honor, the Congressional Gold Medal. These are the highest honors that each branch of government can offer.
I can think of no better way for the Congress to celebrate Black History Month, not in talking about black history that was made long ago, but looking inside our own ranks and finding a true historic figure, one that Democrats can be proud of, that Republicans are surely proud of, one who epitomizes exactly what everybody says our country needs today to bring us together, and one who served in our own ranks.
Many in the Congress on both sides of the aisle have already signed on to H.R. 1000, which is the bill necessary to award the Congressional Medal. That requires two-thirds of the House to sign on. Many have, once this was brought to their attention, signed on. We're going to send it again, of course, to Members, as we try to do something that I think will be history-making this very month, and that is to have the Congress of the United States, this month, this Black History Month, vote to give the Congressional Gold Medal to one of our own former colleagues, a former Member of the Senate, Senator Edward Brooke, the first African American to serve by popular vote in that body.
I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. FEENEY. I have no further speakers, Mr. Speaker, and I yield myself 1 minute.
Mr. Speaker, there are many reasons to celebrate Black History Month, and one is that it would take more than a month for even the best student of history to appreciate all of the great things that African Americans have contributed to America. I would note that later this afternoon the House will be considering House Resolution 943, which is the 22nd anniversary of the Challenger disaster. And among the American heroes that perished that day was astronaut Ronald McNair, who, in fact, was an African American.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 942, a resolution recognizing the significance of Black History Month.
It is a time to reflect on and honor the important contributions African-Americans have made to our Nation. We should especially take note of the extraordinary people who continue to help build our great Nation.
Of the thousands of African-Americans in my District, I have the privilege of representing two individuals and an outstanding group: Marguerita Washington and Rudy Smith, both of Omaha, and the Alfonza W. Davis chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, based in Omaha.
Dr. Marguerita Washington is the editor of the Omaha Star newspaper in Omaha. The paper has been in existence for more than 69 years and is Nebraska's largest African-American newspaper. The policy of the Omaha Star has been to print only positive news and to be a vigilant champion for African-American progress. The paper is located in the heart of Omaha's African-American community.
The Omaha Star was founded by the late Mildred D. Brown in 1938. She is believed to be the first female, certainly the first African-
American woman, to have founded a newspaper in the Nation's history. When Mrs. Brown expired unexpectedly in 1989, the paper was then placed in the very capable hands of Dr. Marguerita Washington, her niece, who now heads the newspaper.
Dr. Washington and the Omaha Star work for equal rights for all; the paper was on the forefront, leading the charge to open public accommodations to African-Americans, including hotels, restaurants, theaters and taverns. The paper was instrumental in working with Omaha Public Schools to ensure that black teachers had equal participation. Dr. Washington also worked hard to get the Omaha Star landmark status in the city of Omaha and the State of Nebraska.
Rudy Smith has lived in Omaha since age 6 and has been an Omaha World Herald photographer and editor for more than 40 years. He is in the process of completing a book of his photographs, many of which have been exhibited at black colleges, universities and museums around the country. As a journalist and photographer he has captured images of some of America's greatest heroes.
Rudy was more than just a photographer; he was able to chronicle historic moments in Omaha. Every picture he takes is a moment; each special moment holds a lifetime of memories that lives on after the moment has passed. Each of his photographs is a window to a memory and has the ability to deeply connect you to the beauty of life itself. His talent is endless.
Omaha native Alphonza Davis graduated from Omaha Tech High School and later Omaha University. He finished first in his class at Tuskegee and was chosen squadron leader. He was killed in combat in 1944 while over in Germany. The local Tuskegee Airmen chapter in Omaha is named after him.
The chapter is one of 45 nationwide, and its membership includes four original Tuskegee Airmen. They are LTC (Ret) Paul Adams, LTC (Ret) Charles A. Lane, Jr., LTC (Ret) Harrison A. Tull, and Mr. Robert D. Holts. These members continue their service to our community by mentoring and working with youth through the local Civil Air Patrol.
The Tuskegee Airmen and their record of success during the war are unmatched. Not a single American bomber protected by the Red Tails was ever shot down by enemy aircraft. By war's end, the Tuskegee Airmen had flown over 15,000 sorties, completed over 1,500 missions and destroyed more than 260 enemy aircraft.
I join my colleagues in recognizing these and the millions of African-Americans in our country for their numerous achievements throughout history, today and the future. This designation is only a small token of the thanks they deserve for all of their contributions to our society. I urge the adoption of H. Res. 942.
Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to address the House for one minute.
I rise today to voice my strong support for H. Res. 942. This bipartisan resolution recognizes the significance of Black History Month.
I want to thank my friend and colleague, Representative Al Green, for introducing this resolution.
February is Black History Month, a time for all Americans to learn about and recognize the heritage and achievements of African Americans.
African Americans have made historic contributions to this Nation in all walks of life--from economics, to education, to politics and the arts.
Sadly, African Americans have been victims of too much discrimination, segregation, and hatred in their history in the United States.
That is why it is so fitting we stand here together today, one body in unity, to recognize the amazing accomplishments of our Nation's African Americans.
We also stand here to recognize that the ethnic and racial diversity within the United States is a wonderful thing, which only serves to strengthen our great Nation.
I urge my colleagues to embrace this diversity, to support Black History Month, and to cast a vote in favor of H. Res. 942.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 942, Recognizing the Significance of Black History Month, introduced by my distinguished colleague from Texas, Representative Green. This important legislation recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of African-Americans in this Nation.
The celebration of Black History Month began with Negro History Week in 1926, the vision of Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Dr. Woodson, a noted African-American author and scholar recognized then, as we do today, that the achievements and contributions of African-Americans deserve not only to be acknowledged, but also to be celebrated by all Americans.
Over the course of 50 years, Negro History gained momentum, culminating in its transcendence to Black History Month. Now each February we express our appreciation of the struggles, determination and perseverance of the African-American community of the past and present. February is a month to recognize the contributions of African-
Americans who have enriched our culture and our heritage.
There have been great African-American activists, scientists, artists, poets, athletes, politicians, writers, economists, musicians, engineers, and entertainers who have all bettered our way of life. From Harriet Tubman to Barbara Jordan, Althea Gibson to Venus Williams, Marian Anderson to Ella Fitzgerald, Frederick Douglass to Martin Luther King, Jr., so many African-Americans have enriched this Nation that there are far too many to name them all.
Unfortunately, the struggle for African-Americans to gain recognition and celebration in this Nation continues beyond Black History Month. While we can be proud of the many achievements of our past, events such as Hurricane Katrina and Jena 6, demonstrate that we still have much to achieve in the way of equal rights and justice for all.
One of the great challenges facing the African-American community is the disproportionate rate at which our people are incarcerated.
According to the Department of Justice more than 2.3 million people are incarcerated in this Nation's State and Federal prisons. As of December 2006, African-Americans made up 40.2 percent of Federal prison inmates, most of those being African-American men.
When you compare these statistics with the fact that African-
Americans only make up approximately 12 percent of the total population, the disparity becomes more apparent. The human toll--the wasted lives, shattered families, and disturbed youth--are incalculable, as are the adverse social, economic and political consequences of weakened communities, diminished opportunities for economic mobility, and widespread disenfranchisement.
In Jena, Louisiana, two African-American high school students sat under what some White students called the ``white'' tree on their campus. The White students responded by hanging nooses from the tree. When African-American students protested the light punishment for the students who hung the nooses, the District Attorney came to the school and told the students he could ``take their lives away with a stroke of his pen.'' Racial tensions continued to mount in Jena, and the District Attorney did nothing in response to several egregious cases of violence and threats against African-American students.
But when a White student--who had been a vocal supporter of the students who hung the nooses--taunted African-American students, allegedly called several African-American students ``nigger'', and was beaten up by African-American students, the punishment was drastically different. Six African-American students were charged with second-
degree attempted murder. Mychal Bell was one of the students tried and convicted. He faced up to 22 years in prison for essentially a school fight.
The African-American community came to the aid of these young men, as they have done in years past for other young men. While we take this month to celebrate the past and present African-American achievements and contributions, we must face the future with an understanding that there is more to be done and more to be achieved.
As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, a Representative of the people of the United States, and an African-American woman, I am proud to cosponsor this legislation and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my full support for H. Res. 942, a resolution that recognizes Black History Month as a time to acknowledge the many contributions that African Americans have made in our Nation's history and as a time for all Americans to fully understand the events and struggles that shaped our great Nation.
When Aristotle said, ``If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development,'' he suggested that we cannot fully know what something is if we do not know its past. This certainly holds true for our country. Knowing our Nation's history does more than tell us who we were; it tells us who we are. And if we look honestly at our past successes and mistakes, it tells us what we can become.
Unfortunately, the long practice of omitting, abbreviating, and misrepresenting African Americans in American history has resulted in an incomplete and skewed story of our country's history. Fortunately, the social change of the civil rights movement inspired a change in the way that America told and understood its history. It became clear that American history--like America's schools and lunch counters--needed to be integrated.
Over the years, Black History Month has become a chance to realize our rich diversity by studying the artistic, scientific, and political contributions that African Americans have made to the United States and the rest of the world. Realize Black history is American history, and February should not be the only time that we acknowledge the contributions of African American men, women, and children in U.S. history. African Americans have played a key role in just about every single moment in American history, and it is high time that our history books reflect that.
Driven by my commitment to the human and civil rights of all, I have worked hard to ensure that all people--regardless of their nationality, sexual orientation, gender, or race--have access to their most basic rights. My experiences in and before I came to this body have taught me that all people have influenced our country's greatness. It is critically important that these contributions are acknowledged and retold.
Mr. Speaker, as we observe and celebrate the contributions of African Americans in America we must not forget that we are making history as we speak. We are living in an historical era in which extraordinary people from all walks of life are seeking opportunities that were previously not available to them. Outstanding Americans such as Barrington Irving, the youngest and first person of African descent to fly around the world, teach us that we can achieve great things in this land of opportunity as long as we have the will and drive. As we all know, for the first time in history, the two contending candidates for the Democratic nominee for President are a black man and a woman.
As we reflect on the numerous contributions and experiences of African Americans in this country, we must be cognizant of how we as a modern multi-ethnic and multicultural nation deal with the issues of our time. How we do this will determine how future generations will view us in the history books. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important resolution.
Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I stand before you offering my generous support for the commemoration of H. Res. 942, recognizing the significance of Black History Month. This is a month to honor the tremendous strides and achievements made by numerous African-American leaders and activists, and to signify our continued celebration of diversity in the United States. I urge all Americans to use this month as an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments made by past African-American leaders while continuing to work for the advancement of racial equality.
The enormous contributions made by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Dubois and other notable leaders in the African-American community have championed improved race relations and equality. We must also highlight the achievements made by a host of prominent African-Americans in other fields such as the arts, athletics, politics, and academia.
This year's theme, ``Carter G. Woodson and the Origins of Multiculturalism,'' honors the founder of Black History Month and applauds his commitment to the preservation of African-American history. Woodson was instrumental in popularizing the role the African-
American community has played in enriching the history of the United States. His mission and legacy is one our country must uphold while continuing to inspire future generations to embrace diversity and equality.
Again, I would like to express my support for the significance of February 2008 as Black History Month. Let the following month serve as a reminder of our indebtedness to those leaders possessing the courage to combat injustice. They have completed the ultimate service not only for the African-American community in the United States but for all citizens.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of this most important month of February, deemed as Black History Month. Let us join with the rest of the Nation in highlighting the significant contributions that African Americans have made to our great Nation, while celebrating this year's theme of ``Carter G. Woodson and the Origin of Multiculturalism.''
Throughout this noteworthy month, we all should take a moment to reflect on the fact that February was designated to make a national appeal to Americans to make note of the tremendous role that African Americans have played in the development and advancement of our country's rich history. February embraces the birthdays of two distinguished Americans--Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln--whose contributions to our society are immeasurable. Let us remember that not only are we honoring Black history; we are celebrating all of our history, American history.
This month we should remember the legacy of the illustrious Harlem Renaissance and the contributions this period had in shaping America's cultural heritage. African American writers Langston Hughes, Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, and Toni Morrison have now become major voices in American Literature. Military achievements, not only by the Tuskegee Airmen, the 54th Regiment from Massachusetts, and the 29th Regiment from Connecticut, but by other courageous Black soldiers, have helped to create the gallant Armed Forces of this country. In this month, let us all work together to ensure a positive future for the 40.2 million African Americans who contribute to this Nation on a daily basis.
In my home State of Connecticut, we make note of Hartford's Black governors who oversaw the region from 1755 to 1800; fearless Connecticut abolitionists James Mars and J.W.C. Pennington who petitioned Connecticut's legislature regarding voting and social rights for blacks in the 1840s and 50s; and of course the survivors of the Amistad slave ship, who spent days seated in a Hartford courtroom awaiting their fate by a U.S. circuit court judge. Through relics such as the Old State House, Mark Twain House, Harriet Beecher Stowe House, the Connecticut freedom trails, and the Amistad Center for Arts and Culture, we are paying homage to the extraordinary African Americans who have resided in our State.
Mr. Speaker, this year during Black History Month, I urge my colleagues and this Nation to remember all of the African Americans who have helped to weave the historical tapestry of America. I urge us all to realize the service, dedication and courage that have emerged throughout the decades. This year, let us truly celebrate Black History as a part of us all. Like our motto says, E Pluribus Unum, Out of many we are one. We are a great Nation formed by the contribution of many, and this month we celebrate one of those outstanding groups.
Mr. FEENEY. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HODES. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Hodes) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 942.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. HODES. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________
