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Black History Month

Floor Speech

Date: Feb. 3, 2022
Location: Washington, DC

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Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month and highlight the contributions and impact of Black Americans in my community.

When I was elected to Congress in 2018, I became the first Black woman to represent the 14th District and the youngest Black woman in Congress. I am honored to hold a place in Illinois 14th's Black history alongside the trailblazers that came before me--like Batavia-native Charles Edward Hall, whose 35-year career at the Census Bureau fundamentally changed our national understanding of Black communities; or Civil War veteran, Henry Beard, and his wife, Julia, who after escaping slavery, became the first Black residents of Sycamore in 1871; and Dr. Lloyd from Elgin, who revolutionized food, drug, and cosmetic preservation with the creation of a sterilization process.

These are just a few of the Black Illinoisans who have made a mark on my community and our country, and I am very proud to honor them.

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