DNC Chair Jaime Harrison and Black Caucus Chair Virgie Rollins released the following statement on Black History Month:
“Throughout Black History Month and all year long, Democrats celebrate the contributions of Black Americans past and present. Both our party and our nation have come so far standing on the shoulders of giants like Fannie Lou Hamer, Jesse Jackson, and Shirley Chisholm, who paved a path for the historic leadership of President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris. From the fight for equal rights in order to bend the long arc of the moral universe towards justice to pushing back against modern day Republican anti-voter efforts, Democrats are committed to showing up. We stand up, and we don’t back down.
“Once the party of Lincoln, the Republican Party now embraces policies and initiatives that suppress Black votes at the ballot box, and silence Black voices and stories in the telling of this nation’s history. While it is sad to see the devolution of the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, alongside the Biden-Harris administration, will remain steadfast in our mission and continue to fight so that Black Americans and all Americans can be seen, heard and valued. We will do our part to ensure we all can realize our hopes, aspirations and dreams.
“President Biden and Democrats inherited an economy on the ropes, and a nation still struggling with a global pandemic that impacted the Black community disproportionately. From administering an historic distribution program that’s seen over 70% of Americans be fully vaccinated to providing significant economic recovery for working families through the American Rescue Plan, passing the nation’s largest infrastructure bill, and appointing a record number of Black women to the U.S. Court of Appeals, the health and safety of Black communities has been front and center in year one of the Biden-Harris agenda.
“We will continue to march hand in hand with our allies in pursuit of equity, prosperity, and justice for all.”