Recognizing the Significance of Equal Pay and the Disparity in Wages Paid to Men and to Black Women

Floor Speech

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Ms. ADAMS. Madam Speaker, I introduced a resolution to recognize today, August 3, 2021, as Black Women's Equal Pay Day.

Two-hundred and fourteen days--that's how long into 2021 that Black women have to work to earn the same wage paid to white, non-Hispanic men. Black women are being paid 63 cents for every dollar white, non- Hispanic men are being paid.

The crossroads at which black women stand, between two walls of prejudice, one for race and one for gender, are unique and deserve singular attention. The toil and struggle of Black women stretches over centuries, and the acknowledgement of this has been too little, too late.

That is why I am introducing this Resolution to recognize August 3, 2021 as Black Women's Equal Pay Day. Because the value of those thirty- seven cents is so much more than thirty-seven cents.

It is equality, dignity, and independence.

America was founded upon imperfect equality, inequality, as we all recognize. But as America's history has shown us thus far, its arc of history bends towards equality.

I fervently urge my colleagues to examine the pressing issue of pay disparity that Black women face. When Black women are not paid equal wages, the negative impacts of lower pay are profound: lower pay impacts the lifelong ability of a Black women to pay for her education, her health, and food for her family.

Let this Resolution be the penny that brings forth great ripples of change.

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