As our nation mourns the loss of John Lewis, we’re also grappling with how to address the removal of statues commemorating historically racist figures. But our thoughts must turn to our country’s foundational documents. These governing documents are so tied to who we are as Americans that we have often been blind to the systemic racism that is embedded within them. It’s something John Lewis spent his life fighting against. The Declaration of Independence was a founding document of a new world, a...
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The role of the CBC at this historic moment is to identify, fight for, and win the best legislative change and the maximum level of resources possible to help the Black community not just survive the pandemic, but prepare to thrive in the aftermath. In order to develop the best legislation possible, we need to make sure we are as close as possible to the pulse of our people around the nation, wherever they may be. We are calling on you to join our SPEAK UP & SPEAK OUT Virtual Town Hall Series t...
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IN THE INAUGURAL COLUMN FOR ESSENCE’S "IN HER WE TRUST," REP. KAREN BASS (CA-37), CHAIRWOMAN OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, WRITES ABOUT BLACK WOMEN PROTECTING DEMOCRACY.
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As we celebrate the contributions of African Americans this month, we’d like to highlight a policy area where the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) — created in 1971, a year after the first observance of Black History Month — has played a pivotal role and where many of its members are now working to build on past achievements. It’s the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), particularly the EITC for working people who aren’t raising minor children in their home but are working hard for low wages and tr...
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Thousands of Black migrants from around the globe seeking new lives in America are instead stuck in limbo in Mexico. Amid reports of their mistreatment and an African migrant’s death, several members of Congress recently traveled across the U.S.-Mexico border to meet the asylum seekers. Reps. Karen Bass (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Yvette Clarke (D-NY) of the Congressional Black Caucus visited Tijuana, Mexico, on Friday. Also making the trip was Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA), a member of the Congre...
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Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) on Tuesday marked the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first African slaves in North America, according to USA Today. “All of our history is what makes this country a great country,’’ CBC Chairwoman Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) said at the Tuesday event held at the U.S. Capitol's Emancipation Hall. “Today we complete the journey that we began in Ghana,’’ she added, referencing a trip by several caucus members over the summer to the African nat...
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Yesterday, the Congressional Black Caucus, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, commemorated the 400th year anniversary of enslaved Africans being forcibly brought to America. Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) at a congressional ceremony in observance of the 400th anniversary of the first-recorded forced arrival of enslaved African people in Jamestown, VA and to mark the “Year of Return.” Below are Speaker Pelosi's remarks: "Good morning, everyone! And a good morning it...
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Black pride, policy, and purpose will converge when the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) hosts its 49th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) in the nation’s capital. Organizers said the event draws upwards of 30,000 people—elected officials, celebrities, advocates, clergy, college students, etc.—from across the country and world. The five-day confab is scheduled for September 11-15, 2019, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. There will be nearly 100 ...
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In the U.S. Capitol, largely built by enslaved Africans, members of Congress held ceremonies to mark 1619, the year Africans landed in the Virginia Colony and centuries of American chattel slavery began. Tuesday’s ceremony was hosted by the 55-member Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and welcomed lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. The crowd ranged from Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) and special guests such as actress Alfre Woodard. Saying it is time to “to finally, finally tell the full story, the ...
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From the voices of Howard University’s choir to the resonating sound of drums, African culture encompassed the Capitol on Tuesday as the Congressional Black Caucus commemorated the 400th anniversary of the first recorded forced arrival of enslaved African people in the United States. “We celebrate certain parts of our history and the ideals that are the foundation of our country but we have been reluctant to examine and embrace all of our history,” California Congresswoman Karen Bass said. Bass...
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