The Year of the Black Woman

Floor Speech

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Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today during Women's History Month to honor the extraordinary accomplishments made by Black women throughout our nation's history.

In 1987, Congress declared March to be National Women's History Month, giving the nation the chance to reflect on and salute the trailblazers who paved the way for many of the rights women have today.

I am blessed to be able to stand upon the shoulders of such great Black women, who sacrificed so much to help secure equal rights for all Americans, including generations yet unborn.

Some are household names, such as Rosa Parks.

In her defiance to give up her bus seat on a Montgomery City Bus in December 1961, she sparked the peaceful 381-day Montgomery bus boycott, leading to the desegregation of our nation's public transportation systems.

There is also Shirley Chisholm who in 1968 became the first Black woman elected to Congress.

Only four years later, she became the first woman to seek the Democratic presidential nomination.

In my own state of Ohio, there is Ellen Walker Craig-Jones, the first Black woman to be elected mayor in the United States by popular vote.

Ohio also gave us Irene Long, the first female chief medical officer at the Kennedy Space Center.

These women, and so many others, helped make it possible for me to stand here, on the floor of the House of Representatives, with my fellow women of the Congressional Black Caucus.

We owe them a debt of gratitude.

But, this Women's History Month, not only should we honor the history that has been made; we should look forward, to the history that will be made.

We are so fortunate to have Black women who continue to lead the way:

Public servants like new Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms;

Organizers and advocates like those who led the Women's March; and Patrisse Cullors, who co-founded Black Lives Matter; and Tarana Burke, who first used ``Me Too'' to raise awareness of the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and assault in our society.

Women continue to face workplace discrimination, a higher risk of sexual assault, and an earnings gap that will cost the average woman hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of her working lifetime.

``Me too,'' a simple phrase turned hashtag, has galvanized millions into action, letting those who continue to treat women as second-class citizens know that time's up.

Countless more Black women are unknown outside of their own families and communities, but still deserve admiration:

The Black women who sent a message to this administration, by showing up in Alabama to vote in the first Democratic Senator from the state in 25 years;

The Black women who have marched and continue to do so to have their voices heard;

The Black women who will attend school and college against the odds, who will run for office, who will fight for what they believe.

All are part of our history and their courage and dedication have helped to sustain the American spirit by breaking down barriers, creating new opportunities, and inspiring the next generation.

Still, there is more work to be done to provide women with the economic security and opportunities they deserve and their families need.

We must diversify our workplaces to reflect what our communities look like.

Statistics show that companies with more racial, ethnic, and gender diversity are more likely to be successful. When women--and in particular, women of color--are allowed to succeed, then we all succeed. That has been true throughout our nation's history.

It is my honor to celebrate Women's History Month by recognizing all those who came before me, to continue to work every day to create an even brighter future for all Americans.

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