Schakowsky Statement Commemorating Black History Month
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), released the following statement in recognition of Black History Month:
“During Black History Month, we celebrate Black culture, Black leaders, Black innovation, and Black triumphs. We remember the struggles endured by Civil Rights icons like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., and my dear friend John Lewis. It was their ‘good trouble,’ along with many others, that paved the way for future generations to have a better life. As we reflect on the great strides we have made, we recognize the work that remains to truly become an equitable and just society.
“All across the country, far-right extremist Republicans have made it harder for Black people to exercise one of our most fundamental freedoms as Americans, the right to vote. President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, ‘The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.’ We must enhance the ability of every American to cast a ballot freely, equally, and without interference. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which I am proud to cosponsor, will finally ensure safe, secure, and accessible elections for all.
“Further, we must continue our efforts to address the historic health inequities that face the Black community. In Chicago, the average life expectancy in the predominately white Streeterville neighborhood is 90 years old. Just nine miles away, in the predominantly Black Englewood neighborhood, the average life expectancy drops to 60 years old. Our health is closely tied to the environment in which we live. It is crucial that all communities have access to quality, affordable care, healthy food, and clean drinking water. Thanks to the leadership of President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress, today, more Black Americans have health insurance than at any previous time in American history. I will continue to work with my colleagues and the administration to ensure that every person has access to the health care they need.
“An equitable society is one in which our economy works for all people. Reparations are an important step in dismantling the systems of oppression that remain from slavery. I am proud to represent the first jurisdiction to pass a reparations law, my hometown of Evanston, Illinois. Since the program was established in 2019, 91 people have received up to $25,000, for a total of more than $2,250,000, to help with down payments, mortgage assistance, home improvement costs, and other expenses. We must build upon our efforts in Evanston at the Federal level. I cosponsor legislation that will create a commission to study the effects and ramifications of slavery and discrimination in the United States. The commission would then present its findings and recommend appropriate actions for Congress to take. While reparations do not change our history, they do begin to address and acknowledge the inequities that have persisted throughout time.
“This Black History Month, let us all reflect on how we can make the country a more equitable place. We must all do our part to combat the systematic racism that plagues our health, education, justice, and economic systems. Black lives matter. Black lives have value. Black lives are beautiful. Black History is American History.”
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