Post by bot on Feb 3, 2016 20:08:44 GMT -5
Hoyer Statement on Black History Month
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today to mark the beginning of Black History Month:
“I join in celebrating Black History Month throughout February, in which we pay tribute to the immeasurable impact of African-Americans on our nation and its history. This year we mark the centennial anniversary of the first publication of what would become the Journal of African American History, launched by Dr. Carter Woodson, who is considered the father of Black History Month. His efforts, along with other African American leaders and scholars early in the last century, helped frame the narrative of Black History and set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s and inspired a new generation of leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dorothy Height, and Rep. John Lewis.
“Black History Month cannot be only the commemoration of the past but must also serve to make us more aware of the challenges of the present day and lead us to recommit ourselves to working hand-in-hand, across the lines of race, creed, economic background, or national origin, to meet those challenges and make our union more perfect. When future historians write about Black History in 2016, I hope they will observe a time when our nation was able to muster the moral courage and political will to end injustices and chart new courses of opportunity. From restoring the full protection of the Voting Rights Act to fixing our broken criminal justice system, from recognizing the dignity of every person to creating good jobs that pay well and offer pathways out of poverty, we must write the next chapter of Black History together.
“I will continue to work closely with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to bring these issues to the forefront of Congress’s attention and to push for meaningful action in these areas and others. I wish all Americans a very meaningful and inspiring Black History Month, which I look forward to celebrating in Maryland and in Congress.”