January 28, 2022 Speech Resources: Fact Sheet Valerie S. Cervantes This fact sheet links to authoritative information resources related to National African American Senior Knowledge Services History Month, which is also referred to as African American History Month and Black History Librarian Month. It is designed to assist congressional offices with work related to National African American History Month by providing links to legislation, CRS reports, sample speeches and remarks from the Congressional Record, and presidential proclamations and remarks. It also links to additional government resources and selected advocacy, educational, cultural, and military organizations. Congressional Research Service link to page 4 link to page 4 link to page 4 link to page 4 link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 6 link to page 6 link to page 7 National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 History..................................................................................................................... 1 Legislation ............................................................................................................... 1 Related CRS Reports ................................................................................................. 1 Sample Speeches and Recognitions .............................................................................. 2 Presidential Proclamations and Remarks ....................................................................... 2 Government Resources............................................................................................... 3 Nongovernment Resources.......................................................................................... 3 Contacts Author Information ......................................................................................................... 4 Congressional Research Service National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet Introduction National African American History Month, also referred to as African American History Month National African American History Month, also referred to as African American History Month and popularly as Black History Month, is observed annuallyannual y in February, in celebration of the achievements of blackBlack Americans. National African American History Month recognizes the central role of African Americans in U.S. history.

This fact sheet links to authoritative information resources onis designed to assist congressional offices with work related to National African American History Month. It is designed to assist congressional offices with work related toprovides authoritative information resources on National African American History Month by providing, including links to legislation, CRS reports, sample speeches and remarks from the Congressional Record, and presidential proclamations and remarks. It also links to additional government web resources and selected advocacy, educational, cultural, and military, organizations.

History

organizations. History The origins of National African American History Month date back to 1926, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a noted scholar of blackBlack history, set aside time in February to recognize the heritage, achievements, and contributions of African Americans. Since 1976, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the organization founded by Dr. Woodson, has expanded the observance of Black History Week into a month-long celebration.1

Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush's proclamations were calls’s messages on the observance were cal s to celebrate "“National Black (Afro-American (Black) History Month." In even earlier proclamations the words "African-American" and "black" were often interchanged. However,”2 In 1992, George H.W. Bush recognized February as “National African American (Black) History Month,”3 and every every President since Bill Clinton Bil Clinton in 1996 has proclaimed February as “National African American History Month.

”4 Each year the national theme for the National African American History Month celebration is chosen by ASALH. The theme for 2020 is "African Americans and the Vote."

Legislation

2022 is “Black Health and Wel ness.”5 Legislation P.L. 99-244—P.L. 99-244—In 1986, Congress officiallyofficial y recognized the month of February as Black (Afro- American) History Month.

Related CRS Reports

The Congressional Research Service has prepared numerous reports that relate to African Americans. Some of these include the following:

CRS Report RL30378, African American Members of the U.S. Congress: 1870-2019 1 Daryl Michael Scott, “Origins of Black History Month,” Association for the Study of African American Life and History, at https://asalh.org/about-us/about -black-history-month/. 2 For more information, see The American Presidency Project, at https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/advanced-search?field-keywords=%22National+Afro-American+%28Black%29+History+Month%22. 3 George H.W. Bush, “Message on the Observance of National African-American (Black) History Month, February 1992,” presidential remarks, The Am erican Presidency Project, January 29, 1992, at https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/message-the-observance-national-african-american-black-history-month-february-1992. 4 For more information, see The American Presidency Project, at https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/advanced-search?field-keywords=%22National+African+American+History+Month%22. 5 For more information on this year’s theme and past themes, see Association for the Study of African American Life and History, “ Black History T hemes,” at https://asalh.org/black-history-themes/. Congressional Research Service 1 National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet CRS Report RL30378, African American Members of the U.S. Congress: 1870-2020, by Ida A. , by Ida A. Brudnick and Jennifer E. Manning

CRS Report R46705, Membership of the 117th Congress: A Profile, by Jennifer E. Manning (see “African American Members”) CRS Report R43244, Women in Congress: Statistics and Brief Overview, by Jennifer E. Manning and Ida A. Brudnick (see "“African American Women in Congress")

”) CRS Report R43626, The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Background and Overview, by Kevin J. Coleman

Coleman CRS Report R44865, Juneteenth: Fact Sheet, by Erin M. Smith Sample Speeches and Recognitions

Elected officials often deliver speeches, make floor statements, issue press releases, or enter Extensions of Remarks into the Congressional Record to recognize federal holidays and observances. The following are some recent examples:

Representative Glenn Thompson, "National African American History Month," Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee and Ritchie Torres, “Our Power, Our Message During Black History Month,” remarks in the House of Representatives, Congressional Record, vol. 165167, no. 37 34 (February 28, 2019), p. H2275-H2276.

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, "Commemorating Black History Month," remarks in the Extensions of Remarks23, 2021), pp. H573-H583. Senator Dick Durbin, “Black History Month,” remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record, vol. 164 167, no. 2133 (February 2, 2018), pp. E130-E131.

Representative Ted Yoho, "African American22, 2021), pp. S757-S758. Representative Joyce Beatty, “Observing Black History Month,” History Month," remarks in the House of Representatives, Congressional Record, vol. 163166, no. 3540 (February 28, 2017), p. H1361.

Representative Adriano Espaillat, "Recognizing 2020), pp. H1255-H1256. Senator Ben Cardin, “Black History Month,",” remarks in the Extension of RemarksSenate, Congressional Record, vol. 163 166, no. 2537 (February 13, 2017), p. E182.

Senator Dick Durbin, "25, 2020), pp. S1143-S1144. Representative Stacey Plaskett, “Recognizing Black History Month,”Black History Month," remarks in the SenateHouse of Representatives, Congressional Record, vol. 163166, no. 2824 (February 16, 2017), pp. S1392-S1393.

Representative Evan Jenkins, "Honoring Dr. Carter G. Woodson," remarks in the Extension5, 2020), p. H775. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, “Commemorating Black History Month,” remarks in the Extensions of Remarks, Congressional Record, vol. 163166, no. 1723 (February 1, 2017), p. E117.

4, 2020), pp. E123- E124. Presidential Proclamations and Remarks

One of the many uses of a presidential proclamation is to ceremoniously honor a group or call cal attention to certain issues or events. Some recent National African American History Month proclamations, from the White House website and the Compilation of Presidential Documents, include the following:

Presidential Proclamations Presidential Proclamations—Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (2021) Presidential Proclamations—Donald J. Trump (2017-2020) Presidential Proclamations—Barack H. Obama (2009-2016) —Barack H. Obama (2009-2016)

Presidential Proclamations—George W. Bush (2001-2008)

Presidential Proclamations—William —Wil iam J. Clinton (1996-2000)

Presidential proclamations and remarks from 1993 to the present are available through the govinfo service on the Government Publishing Office website. Earlier remarks (including Congressional Research Service 2 National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet selected audio and video clips) are available through The American Presidency Project, , established by the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Government Resources

African American History Month (2018)— is a joint effort by the Library of Congress and the, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National GalleryGal ery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and contains an extensive guide to the events, and the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Contains a rich guide to the exhibits, collections, audiovisual resources, and research and teaching guides on African American history and culture from their institutions.

African American Heritage Research (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration) provides guides and online access to archival records relating to African American history. These records include manuscripts, videos, and photographs from the National ArchivesArc hives and presidential libraries.

libraries. Facts for Features: National African-American (Black) History Month, February 20202022 (U.S. Census Bureau) contains collections of statistics from the Census Bureau'’s demographic and economic subject areas related to African Americans.

Spotlight on Statistics: Labor Market Activity of Blacks in the Labor ForceUnited States, February 20182020 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) contains historical data and projections to provide an economic snapshot of Blacks or African Americans in the U.S. labor market. Presented in celebration of African American History Month.

Black Americans in Congress (History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives) contains "“biographical profiles of former African-American Members of Congress, links to information about current black Members, essays on institutional and national events that shaped successive generations of African Americans in Congress, and images of each individual Member, supplemented by other historical photos."” This website is based on the book Black Americans in Congress, 1870-2007.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established as part of the Smithsonian Institution on December 16, 2003, by the African American History and Culture Act ((P.L. 108-184). A competition was held to determine the design of the building and the groundbreaking ceremony for the museum was on February 20, 2012. The purpose of the museum is to provide for the establishment of programs relating to African American life, art, and culture encompassing the periods of slavery; reconstruction; the Harlem renaissance; the civil rights movement; and other periods of African American history. 

African American History Month and African American Heritage (National Park Service) highlight historic places that preserve African American history, including information about properties recognized by the National Register of Historic Places that “exemplify the contributions of African American culture and achievement.” Nongovernment Resources Nongovernment Resources

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), Founders of Black History Month (in 1926, originallyoriginal y Negro History Week), carries forth the work of its founder, Dr. Carter G. Woodson. ASALH'’s mission is "“to promote, research, preserve, interpret and disseminate information about Black life, history and culture to the global community."

The ” Congressional Research Service 3 National African American History Month Speech Resources: Fact Sheet The Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University (DC) has one of the world's ’s largest and most comprehensive repositories for the documentation of the history and culture of people of African descent in Africa, the Americas, and other parts of the world.

Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC): is one of the foremost research centers for the study of blackBlack music is Indiana University (Bloomington, IN). The AAAMC houses African American collections and history of religious, classical, blues, gospel, R&B, and hip hop music. Author Information hip hop music.