SJR20: Joint Resolution Text

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate JOINT RESOLUTION 20

March 16, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Johnson, Carpenter, Smith, Agard, Wirch, Ringhand, Erpenbach, Roys and Larson, cosponsored by Representatives Stubbs, Bowen, Haywood, L. Myers, Baldeh, Drake, Moore Omokunde, Shankland, Milroy, Hebl, S. Rodriguez, Andraca, Snodgrass, Ohnstad, Vruwink, Pope, Ortiz-Velez, Doyle, Hesselbein, Neubauer, Subeck, Hong, Cabrera, Spreitzer, Shelton, Anderson, Riemer, Goyke, Vining, Brostoff, Conley, McGuire and Emerson. Referred to Committee on Senate Organization.

SJR20,1,2 Relating to: proclaiming February 2021 as Black History Month and honoring past and current black legislators.

SJR20,1,5 Whereas, Black History Month provides a deliberate opportunity to reflect on the common humanity underlying all people and to raise awareness and foster respect for the heritage and contributions of people of African descent; and

SJR20,1,11 Whereas, this year marks over 400 years since the arrival of enslaved Africans in Virginia. The existence of Africans in North America can be traced back to 1525, and through 1866 the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade is estimated to have ensnared more than 12 million African people, with an estimated 10 million surviving the unconscionable Middle Passage, landing in North America, the Caribbean, and South America; and

SJR20,1,14 Whereas, Wisconsin history first references African descendants in a speech given in 1725 by a chief of the Illinois Indians, in which he said, “a negro belonging to Monsieur de Boisbriant" at Green Bay; and

SJR20,2,4 Whereas, the United States has recognized black history annually since February 12, 1926, first as “Negro History Week" and later as “Black History Month," by noted Harvard scholar and historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson, celebrating the ethnic and racial diversity that enriches and strengthens our nation; and

SJR20,2,9 Whereas, both enslaved and free people of African descent have participated in every aspect of America's effort to secure, protect, and advance the cause of freedom and civil rights, and have stories that are an inspiration to all citizens, that reflect the triumph of the human spirit, and offer the hopes of everyday people to rise above both prejudice and circumstance and to build lives of dignity; and

SJR20,2,11 Whereas, people of African descent or African Americans have made measurable differences in their respective industries, such as:

SJR20,2,12 Professional trailblazers

SJR20,2,13 Naomi Carter—first African American nurse in Madison;

SJR20,2,15 Grant Gordon—first African American principal in Milwaukee and is active in the NAACP;

SJR20,2,17 Dr. Kwasi Obeng—first African American to serve as chief of staff for the Madison Common Council;

SJR20,2,19 Judson Walter Minor Jr.—first Black police officer to serve in the Milwaukee Police Department;

SJR20,2,21 Vernice E Chenault Gallimore—first Black police woman to serve in the Milwaukee Police Department;

SJR20,2,22 community leaders

SJR20,2,23 Linda Hoskins—former NAACP of Madison president;

SJR20,2,25 Sabrina Madison—Black Women's Wellness pioneer of change in Black Women's Health and Black Women's Leadership Development;

SJR20,3,2 John Givens III—NAACP Youth Council advisor and chair of the Milwaukee Council on Racial Equality;

SJR20,3,3 Ali Muldrow—Madison School Board member;

SJR20,3,5 Torre Johnson Sr.—founder of X-Men United and community and youth advocate;

SJR20,3,7 Gab Taylor—cofounder of Program the Parks and member of Standing Up for Racial Justice MKE;

SJR20,3,8 Amani Latimer Burris—small business owner and journalist;

SJR20,3,9 Detria Hassel—former Health Committee chair, NAACP of Madison;

SJR20,3,10 activists and organizations

SJR20,3,12 Khalil Coleman—law enforcement reform activist, founder of CLTC, and author;

SJR20,3,14 Vaun Mayes—Milwaukee community activist and founder of Parks MKE, a nonprofit organization;

SJR20,3,19 The People's Revolution—Black Lives Matter and government accountability organization; a global network that builds power to bring justice, healing, and freedom to Black people across the globe, whose activism includes marching for over 250 consecutive days, the most since the civil rights and fair housing movements of the 1960s;

SJR20,3,21 Tory Lowe—Wisconsin community activist and member of the Speaker's Task Force on Racial Disparities;

SJR20,3,23 Tracey Dent—activist, Coalition Against Hate, and CEO of the Peace for Change Alliance;

SJR20,3,25 Rebecca Burrell—Wisconsin community activist and member of the Speaker's Task Force on Racial Disparities;

SJR20,4,1 Mattie Reese—community activist;

SJR20,4,2 Sadie Pearson—grassroots community activist;

SJR20,4,3 athlete

SJR20,4,5 Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron—professional baseball player for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers;

SJR20,4,6 religious leader

SJR20,4,8 Dr. Apostle Bishop Godfrey A. Stubbs—Senior Pastor of End Times Ministries International;

SJR20,4,9 government officials

SJR20,4,11 Vice President Kamala Devi Harris—first woman and African American vice president of the United States;

SJR20,4,13 Stacey Yvonne Abrams—American politician, lawyer, voting rights activist, and author who served in the Georgia House of Representatives;

SJR20,4,14 victims and families of police brutality

SJR20,4,18 Jacob Blake Jr., Jacob Blake Sr., and Justin Blake—a Black father of three who was shot in the back seven times by a Kenosha police officer in front of his children, and his father and uncle, who have taken on public advocacy roles for police reform;

SJR20,4,21 Tony Robinson—an unarmed 19-year-old Madison young Black man who was killed by Madison police during a “check person” call placed by his concerned friends and bystanders;

SJR20,4,23 Alvin Cole—a 17-year-old Black teenager who was shot and killed by Wauwatosa police while on his hands and knees;

SJR20,4,25 Sylville Smith—a 23-year-old Black father of one who was shot in the back and killed by Milwaukee police following a traffic stop for “suspicious behavior”;

SJR20,5,3 Dontre Hamilton—an unarmed 31-year-old Black Milwaukee man with mental illness who was shot 14 times and killed by Milwaukee police after being checked on three times in one day for sleeping in a park;

SJR20,5,6 Jay Anderson, Jr.—a 25-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by Wauwatosa police during an after-hours loitering check after being woken up from trying to sleep off intoxication in his car;

SJR20,5,9 Daniel Bell—a 22-year-old Black Milwaukee man who was shot and killed by Milwaukee police following a traffic stop in 1958. Milwaukee police planted a knife on Bell's body at the scene and attempted to cover up the shooting for decades;

SJR20,5,14 Ernest Lacy—a 22-year-old Black Milwaukee man who was arrested in 1981 in a case of mistaken identity, who died in police custody after having a knee placed on his back by officers. This led to one of the few times Wisconsin legislators worked on bipartisan police reform legislation (Lacy's Law) to require that police seek medical help for anyone in their custody; and

SJR20,5,20 Whereas, while acknowledging the work of these leaders, it is equally critical to appreciate, both past and present, the long list of contributions of our fellow citizens; Black History Month gives Wisconsinites an occasion to recognize the significant influence people of African heritage have made, and continue to make, in the areas of medicine, art, politics, human rights, education, sports, and economic development; now, therefore, be it

SJR20,5,24 Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the Wisconsin Legislature recognizes February 2021 as Black History Month, extends appreciation to the above-named persons for their contributions to the state of Wisconsin, the country, and their fellow citizens, and honors past and current black legislators.

SJR20,5,25 (End)