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 BLACK HISTORY MONTH” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E201 on Feb. 23, 2010.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
______
speech of
HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.
of georgia
in the house of representatives
Monday, February 22, 2010
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to join my distinguished colleague Al Green in co-sponsoring H. Res. 1046, which recognizes the significance of Black History Month.
This year, Black History Month marks Abraham Lincoln's 201st birthday, as well as our nation's first anniversary of the inauguration of an African-American president. This remarkable fact truly shows the capacity of our society to transform. Since 1926, February has been dedicated to giving Americans of every ethnicity and race the opportunity to reflect on the struggles of the past and look forward to an even brighter future as we continue working to ensure equality for all Americans. Black History Month is also a reminder that there will still be challenges ahead, and we must stay united as freedom-loving Americans to overcome them.
One sign of this progress is the United States Department of Agriculture's recent announcement of a settlement in the Pigford Case--
a lawsuit brought by plaintiffs who were black farmers who sued for compensation for the harm they suffered as a result of unlawful actions of USDA government agents regarding loan applications.
Many African-Americans still struggle with disparities in their workplace, in their educational opportunities, and in their health care. We still have a long way to go before the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his brethren in the Civil Rights Movement becomes a reality. Let us reeducate ourselves this year as we do every February, to making our country a better, fairer, and kinder place for all Americans.
____________________
