Press Releases
Congresswoman Pingree's Statement on Black History Month
Washington, DC,
February 6, 2017
"Black History Month is a time for us to honor the accomplishments of African-Americans, while shining a light on the work our communities must continue to do in order to address racism and systemic racial injustice ..."
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree released the following history for Black History Month. “Black History Month is a time for us to honor the accomplishments of African-Americans, while shining a light on the work our communities must continue to do in order to address racism and systemic racial injustice. "Before slavery was abolished in 1865, hundreds of Mainers opened their homes and congregations to slaves as part of the Underground Railroad, and many more lost their lives fighting in the Civil War. During the civil rights movement, Mainers volunteered to travel to southern states to register African-Americans to vote. And today a new generation of activists are continuing to remind us that the fight for racial justice is not over. Throughout, Maine has held a proud tradition of upholding and fighting for civil rights and I am hopeful it will continue.”
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