HR 12 — A Resolution recognizing the month of February 2025 as "Black History Month" in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.   167

                    THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 12
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY SMITH-WADE-EL, N. NELSON, PARKER, FLEMING, ABNEY,
        BELLMON, BURGOS, CARROLL, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, A. BROWN, CEPHAS,
        CURRY, DAWKINS, GIRAL, GREEN, GUZMAN, J.HARRIS, K.HARRIS,
        HILL-EVANS, KAZEEM, KENYATTA, KHAN, KRAJEWSKI, MADSEN, MAYES,
        McCLINTON, POWELL, RABB, SCOTT, VENKAT, D. WILLIAMS, YOUNG,
        HANBIDGE, McNEILL, VITALI, FREEMAN, BRENNAN, WAXMAN,
        SAMUELSON, PROBST, PIELLI, FIEDLER, GUENST, SAPPEY, MENTZER
        AND NEILSON, JANUARY 17, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 17, 2025


                                A RESOLUTION
 1   Recognizing the month of February 2025 as "Black History Month"
 2      in Pennsylvania.
 3      WHEREAS, The contributions of African-American citizens as
 4   scientists, inventors, legislators, farmers, educators,
 5   explorers and countless other professions have positively
 6   impacted every sphere of influence within this Commonwealth; and
 7      WHEREAS, In 1915, in response to the dearth of information
 8   that existed in the public domain regarding the feats and
 9   accomplishments of African Americans, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson,
10   an African-American historian, founded the Association for the
11   Study of Negro Life and History, which is now known as the
12   Association for the Study of African American Life and History
13   (ASALH); and
14      WHEREAS, In an effort to further build upon the mission and
15   scope of the ASALH, on February 7, 1926, Dr. Woodson designated
 1   the second week of February as "Negro History Week," which was
 2   chosen for the initial weeklong celebration to honor the birth
 3   month of President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick
 4   Douglass; and
 5         WHEREAS, Dr. Woodson, often referred to as the "Father of
 6   Black History," dedicated his life to the field of African-
 7   American history and encouraged the coordinated teaching and
 8   study of the history of African Americans in our nation's
 9   schools; and
10         WHEREAS, In 1928, ASALH established its first annual theme
11   for what was then known as "Negro History Week," which was
12   "Civilization: A World Achievement"; and
13         WHEREAS, Over the course of several decades following the
14   inception of "Negro History Week," many local municipalities,
15   colleges and universities across the country began celebrating
16   the observance in an augmented form as "Black History Month";
17   and
18         WHEREAS, In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized
19   and included "Black History Month" as part of the United States
20   Bicentennial, urging Americans to "seize the opportunity to
21   honor the too often neglected accomplishments of black Americans
22   in every area of human endeavor throughout our history"; and
23         WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus has always
24   endeavored to vigorously advocate for the needs of all people of
25   color in this Commonwealth by acting as a unified voice
26   concerning the issues that most acutely impact their daily
27   lives; and
28         WHEREAS, This year's "Black History Month" theme, as
29   established and adopted by ASALH, is "African Americans and
30   Labor," acknowledging the profound role that work of all kinds,

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 1   free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and
 2   voluntary, has played in the experiences of Black people; and
 3         WHEREAS, The labor movement and civil rights movement have
 4   always been intertwined in this nation and this Commonwealth;
 5   and
 6         WHEREAS, Due to the work of Black labor activists in
 7   Philadelphia, the United States President announced The
 8   Philadelphia Plan in 1967 to increase diversity within the
 9   building trades; and
10         WHEREAS, Today, Black labor leaders and policymakers in
11   Pennsylvania continue to improve union participation in their
12   communities through pre-apprenticeship programs and public
13   awareness campaigns in schools; and
14         WHEREAS, "Black History Month" is an opportunity for all
15   citizens to commemorate the historical hardships and
16   achievements of African Americans, laud their invaluable
17   contributions to both our domestic and global community and
18   acknowledge the sacrifices that African Americans have made on
19   behalf and in defense of our great nation; therefore be it
20         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
21   month of February 2025 as "Black History Month" in Pennsylvania.




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