ByRepresentatives Donaghy, Street, Taylor, Reeves, Thomas, Reed, Rude, Dent, Connors, Marshall, Steele, Schmidt, Waters, Griffey, Eslick, Penner, McClintock, Low, Dye, Manjarrez, Volz, Stokesbary, Stuebe, Jacobsen, Engell, Walsh, Burnett, Ley, Mendoza, Graham, Abbarno, Orcutt, Keaton, Klicker, and Corry

WHEREAS, 2026 marks the centennial of celebrating Black History across the nation and in Washington state; and

WHEREAS, Historian Dr. Carter Woodson worked to establish Negro History Week in 1926, and President Gerald Ford expanded the celebration of Black accomplishments to all of February in 1976; and

WHEREAS, While Dr. Woodson would not live to experience the adoption of Black History Month, his own contributions, expertise, and advocacy have been invaluable in continuing to expand recognition of the contributions of Black Americans to this state and nation; and

WHEREAS, Much of the history of Black Americans can be viewed through the lens of the long, hard struggle to reconcile the reality of slavery, Jim Crow, and segregation with the words and ideals written in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights; and

WHEREAS, 2026 is the year in which we look back on 100 years of celebration and recognition of Black history, contributions, culture, and accomplishments; and

WHEREAS, The 1920s delivered the Golden Age of Jazz led by Black musicians like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Bessie Smith with their driving rhythms, rich voices, clear instruments, captivating music, and compelling dance; and

WHEREAS, The 1930s saw Black American led advancements in agricultural science with the work of George Washington Carver, personal care and beauty due to the ingenuity of Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner, Marjorie Joyner, and so many others determined to make the lives of all just a bit easier; and

WHEREAS, The 1940s "Great Migration" swelled the Black population in Washington with the promise of wartime jobs and opportunity, but not without crowding, discrimination, housing inequities, and segregation; and

WHEREAS, The 1950s experienced a rise in the civil rights movement in Washington as Black Washingtonians became the largest minority population in the Puget Sound area, and stood up to demand equal treatment; and

WHEREAS, The 1960s saw the appointment of the first Black woman to the Washington State Legislature in Marjorie Pitter-King and the civil rights movement continuing to intensify across the nation, calling for equal rights and justice for Black Americans while Black Americans continued to offer technological advances through the work of inventors like Marie Van Brittan Brown and James E. West; and

WHEREAS, The 1970s was a decade of Black empowerment, education and transformational change, with the first all Black Washington state legislative delegation out of the 37th district including Senator George Fleming, Representative Michael K. Ross, and Representative Peggy Joan Maxie, and the advent of the American Ethnic Studies department and the Ethnic Cultural Center at the University of Washington through the work of the Black Student Union; and

WHEREAS, The 1980s marked the establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a federal holiday, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan, and the launch of Black Entertainment Television while Black communities across the United States experienced significant pushback against earlier civil rights advancements; and

WHEREAS, The 1990s saw: Carol Moseley Braun from Illinois, the first Black woman elected to the United States Senate; Rosa Gourdine Franklin, the first Black woman elected to the Washington State Senate; and Dr. Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to go to space; and

WHEREAS, In the 2000s, Barack Obama became the first Black President of the United States of America, Ron Ward became the first Black President of the Washington State Bar Association, and Dr. Patricia Bath revolutionized cataract treatments; and

WHEREAS, The 2010s saw the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Misty Copeland became the first Black principal dancer at the American Ballet Theater, and Loretta Lynch became the first Black woman to serve as Attorney General of the United States; and

WHEREAS, In the 2020s, Marilyn Strickland was the first Black member elected to the United States House of Representatives in Washington's 10th congressional district, Kamala Harris became the first Black and South Asian Vice President of the United States, and Victor Glover was named the first Black Astronaut for a moon mission; and

WHEREAS, Black Americans and Black Washingtonians still to this day demonstrate the ingenuity, entrepreneurship, leadership, and creativity that continues to benefit this nation and all of Washington; and

WHEREAS, This Black History Month, and every month, is a time to learn about those who came before us, and keep pushing towards a brighter, more just future;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives celebrate Black History Month and recognize the legacy and innumerable contributions of Black Americans to the lives of Washingtonians, not only in February but throughout the whole year; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor and thank all of the Black individuals who participated in the shaping of the United States, as well as all Black and African American active-duty military personnel, veterans, elected leaders and others who serve, and encourage the celebration of Black History Month in our schools, universities, communities, and neighborhoods, to foster a better understanding of that history and its importance here in Washington and throughout this nation.