| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Black History Month is being celebrated in February |
|
|
2019 in recognition of the rich cultural heritage and significant |
|
|
achievements of African Americans; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The observance was first conceived by Dr. Carter G. |
|
|
Woodson, a Harvard-educated scholar and the son of former slaves, |
|
|
who saw a need to promote the research and study of African American |
|
|
history at a time when it was overlooked by mainstream historians; |
|
|
in 1926, Dr. Woodson chose the second week of February as Negro |
|
|
History Week, due to the fact that it included the birthdays of |
|
|
Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, two men of great influence |
|
|
to black Americans; in 1976, President Gerald R. Ford expanded and |
|
|
formalized the celebration to include the entire month of February |
|
|
and urged citizens to use it as an opportunity "to honor the |
|
|
too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every |
|
|
area of endeavor throughout our history"; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The country has continued to work toward gaining |
|
|
greater understanding of the enormity of African American |
|
|
contributions in all realms; in September 2016, Barack Obama, the |
|
|
first African American president of the United States, helped to |
|
|
inaugurate the National Museum of African American History and |
|
|
Culture, noting the centrality of the African American experience |
|
|
to the American story; at the opening ceremony, former president |
|
|
George W. Bush, who signed the 2003 bill authorizing construction |
|
|
of the building, affirmed the study of African American history as a |
|
|
demonstration of our commitment to a fuller, more comprehensive |
|
|
telling of the nation's story; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, While the journey of African Americans toward |
|
|
freedom, equality, and justice has been long and difficult, the |
|
|
trajectory of that path continues to inspire hope of a more |
|
|
inclusive and ever-brighter future; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby recognize February 2019 as Black History Month |
|
|
and encourage all Texans to take advantage of opportunities for |
|
|
learning, reflection, and celebration. |