Bill Text: CA AR22 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relative to Black History Month.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 50-22)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-21 - Amended. Ordered to third reading. Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 3771.) Read. Amended. Adopted. (Page 3772.). [AR22 Detail]
Download: California-2011-AR22-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: HR 22 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY FEBRUARY 21, 2012
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Mitchell, Bradford, Carter, Davis,
Hall, and Swanson
( Coauthors: Assembly Members
Achadjian, Alejo, Allen,
Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Bill
Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield,
Bonilla, Brownley, Buchanan, Butler,
Charles Calderon, Campos, Chesbro,
Conway, Cook, Dickinson,
Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fong,
Fuentes, Furutani, Beth Gaines,
Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon,
Grove, Hagman, Halderman,
Harkey, Hayashi, Roger Hernández,
Hill, Huber, Hueso, Jeffries,
Jones, Lara, Logue, Bonnie
Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Miller,
Monning, Morrell, Nestande,
Nielsen, Olsen, Pan, Perea,
John A. Pérez, Portantino, Silva,
Skinner, Smyth, Solorio,
Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski,
Williams, and Yamada )
FEBRUARY 9, 2012
Relative to Black History Month.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
HOUSE OR SENATE RESOLUTIONS DO NOT CONTAIN A DIGEST
WHEREAS, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, distinguished African American
author, editor, publisher, and historian, who is known as the
"Father of Black History," founded Negro History Week in 1926, which
became Black History Month in 1976, intended to encourage further
research, publishing, and celebrations regarding the untold stories
of African American heritage; and
WHEREAS, The history of African Americans here in the United
States is unique and vibrant, and it is appropriate to celebrate this
history during the month of February 2012, which has been proclaimed
as Black History Month; and
WHEREAS, The history of the United States is rich with
inspirational stories of great African American men and women whose
actions, words, and achievements have united Americans and
contributed to the success and prosperity of the United States; and
WHEREAS, During the first millennium, the Catholic Church had
three popes who were either from Africa or of African descent: Saint
Victor I (189-99), Saint Miltiades (311-14), and Saint Gelasius I
(492-96); and
WHEREAS, The slave trade was a tragic episode in African history
and began in the American colonies before August 1619 when the first
slaves arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. During the course of the slave
trade, an estimated 50 million African men, women, and children were
taken from their native continent; unfortunately, only about 15
million arrived safely to the Americas. The others lost their lives
in transit during the dreaded Middle Passage across the Atlantic
Ocean; and
WHEREAS, The first American to shed blood in the revolution that
freed America from British rule was Crispus Attucks (March 5, 1770,
Boston Massacre), an African American seaman and slave. African
Americans also fought in wars including the Battles of Lexington and
Concord in April 1775, Ticonderoga, White Plains, Bennington,
Brandywine, Saratoga, Savannah, Yorktown, Bunker Hill, the Battle of
Rhode Island on August 29, 1775, and other revolutionary war battles.
Many also fought in the War of 1812, the Battle of New Orleans, the
Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea,
Vietnam, the Gulf War (Desert Storm), Iraq, and Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, In spite of the institution of slavery, many African
Americans continued to serve society honorably. During the
Reconstruction period, two African Americans served in the United
States Senate and 14 sat in the House of Representatives; and
WHEREAS, From the earliest days of the United States, the course
of its history has been greatly influenced by Black heroes, leaders,
and pioneers in many diverse areas, including science, medicine,
business, education, government, industry, and social leadership; and
WHEREAS, Although the institutions of slavery and racial
segregation forced early African American culture to develop
independently of mainstream American culture, today African American
culture has become a significant part of this country's culture.
African American culture has made prevalent contributions to American
culture ranging from music, dance, clothing and hairstyle fashions,
cuisine, and holiday observances; and
WHEREAS, African American art has made vital contributions to the
art history of the United States. During the colonial era and the
early 1800s, African American art took the form of small drums,
quilts, wrought-iron figures, wood carvings, and ceramic vessels.
Soon thereafter, the earliest African American portrait artists
started to emerge, including G.W. Hobbs, William Simpson, Robert M.
Douglas Jr., Patrick Henry Reason, Joshua Johnson, Robert S.
Duncanson, and Scipio Moorhead; and
WHEREAS, In the post-Civil War period, African American artists
received increased recognition as it became more acceptable to
display African American art in museums and other art venues. Major
artists of the era include Edward Mitchell Bannister, Henry Ossawa
Tanner, and Edmonia Lewis; and
WHEREAS, The increased exposure of African American art ultimately
resulted in the Harlem Renaissance during the 1920s, which was the
first major public recognition of African American art and produced
notable artists including, Richmond Barthe, Aaron Douglas, Lawrence
Harris, Palmer Hayden, William H. Johnson, Sargent Johnson, John
Biggers, Earle Wilton Richardson, Malvin Gray Johnson, Archibald
Motley, Augusta Savage, Hale Woodruff, and James Van Der Zee. This
era also introduced African American authors and poets, including
W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, Zora Neale Hurston, Nella
Larsen, Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen; and
WHEREAS, African American artists continued to influence art in
this country during the Civil Rights era. Major artists of the era
include Horace Pippin, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, William T.
Williams, Norman Lewis, and Sam Gilliam, who were all successfully
received in galleries. Major authors such as Richard Wright, James
Baldwin, and Gwendolyn Brooks wrote about the African American
experience; and
WHEREAS, African American art and culture have not only been
incorporated and recognized in mainstream American art museums, but
most major cities have opened museums dedicated specifically to
African American art and artists. The National Endowment for the Arts
is also providing increased support for African American artists;
and
WHEREAS, Africans and African Americans have also been great
inventors, inventing and improving things such as the
air-conditioning unit, almanac, automatic gearshift, blood plasma
bag, clothes dryer, doorknob, doorstop, electric lamp bulb, elevator,
fire escape ladder, fountain pen, gas mask, golf tee, horseshoe,
lantern, lawnmower, lawn sprinkler, lock, lubricating cup,
refrigerating apparatus, spark plug, stethoscope, telephone
transmitter, thermostat control, traffic signal, and typewriter; and
WHEREAS, A number of these brave and accomplished individuals,
such as Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, Matthew
Hansen, Henson, Daniel Hale Williams,
Dr. Charles Drew, Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Curt Flood, Medgar
Evers, Superior Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., and President Barack Obama, are noted and prominently
embedded in American history; and
WHEREAS, Among those Americans who have enriched our society are
the members of the African American community--individuals who have
been steadfast in their commitment to promoting brotherhood,
equality, and justice for all; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the
Assembly takes great pleasure in recognizing February 2012 as Black
History Month, urges all residents to join in celebrating the
accomplishments of African Americans during Black History Month, and
encourages the people of California to recognize the many talents,
achievements, and contributions that African Americans make to their
communities; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
____ CORRECTIONS
Heading--Coauthors--Page 1.
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