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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to honor Black women, their
4accomplishments, and their contributions to the history of the
5United States; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Black women have shaped and molded U.S. history
7in innumerable and irrefutable ways, from the moment they
8arrived by means of the Middle Passage as slave labor to their
9arrival in the White House as the vice president of the United
10States; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Even in the face of unimaginable racism rooted in
12our violent origins in America, and continued for over 400
13years, Black women have risen above their circumstances in the
14face of adversity, not just to survive but also to thrive,
15imagine, create, achieve, inspire, and excel; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Black women have been the bedrock of the
17community, the foundation of the family, the cornerstone of
18the Black church, the innovator, the explorer, the
19entrepreneur, and so much more; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Instead of accepting discrimination as their
21reality, Black women have instead built, created, developed,

 

 

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1implemented, spearheaded, and maintained guilds, sororities,
2non-profit organizations, clubs, scholarship foundations,
3medical associations, and philanthropic affiliations that have
4uplifted, improved, inspired, and supported multitudes of
5communities with diverse needs; and
 
6    WHEREAS, It is time to celebrate "Mama" and the ancestors
7who taught Black women to be strong, resourceful, and to do
8good for the greater good; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Black women nurture, guide, mentor, and inspire
10as they rise to unimaginable heights, overcoming intentional
11and systemic barriers; as Black women soar, communities are
12uplifted, and we all benefit; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Black women have excelled in all areas of life,
14including but not limited to journalism, education, medicine,
15art, law and government, and business; this is exemplified in
16the lives of Black women who hail from the State of Illinois,
17such as Dr. Carol Adams, Ida B. Wells Barnett, Rev. Willie
18Barrow, United States Ambassador and Senator Carol Moseley
19Braun, Gwendolyn Brooks, Margaret Burroughs, Bessie Coleman,
20Rev. Johnnie Coleman, Marva Collins, Lorraine Hansbury, Vivian
21Harsh, Jennifer Hudson, Mahalia Jackson, Mae Jemison, Jackie
22Joyner-Kersee, Chaka Khan, Annie Turnbo Malone, Mamie Till
23Mobley, Diane Nash, Michelle Obama, Shonda Rhimes, Georgiana

 

 

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1Simpson, Jacqueline Vaughn, and Oprah Winfrey; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Black women have stood in solidarity with women
3and men of all backgrounds, sexual orientations, races,
4religious affiliations, and ethnicities across Illinois, the
5United States, and the world in an effort to demand parity and
6equity of all human beings in all areas of life; and
 
7    WHEREAS, February 28th intentionally connects the
8nationally recognized months of February with Black History
9Month and March with Women's History Month, uplifting the
10unique intersectionality of race and gender of being both
11Black and a woman; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we declare February 28, 2023 as Black Women's History Day in
15the State of Illinois to honor the accomplishments, power,
16beauty, courage, intelligence, ingenuity, stewardship, and
17leadership of Black women; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That we encourage all Illinoisans and their
19families to acknowledge, in word and in deed, the
20accomplishments of Black women in places where they live,
21work, and play, because doing so recognizes Black women's
22history as American history.