Black History Month is a time to celebrate, reflect, and be inspired to action. This month, we laud heroes like John Lewis, Elijah Cummings, Shirley Chisholm, Marsha P. Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., and so many others who came before us and made our world a better place for all. Their courage and activism should serve as a call to each and every one of us this month, and every month, to fight for the promise of equality on which our nation was founded.
Today, inequality and injustice are still rooted in every corner of our society. We need not look far for recent examples -- from the wrongful murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, to the treatment of peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters, to the attempts to diminish Black votes and Black voices in last year's elections.
But as we say in South Carolina, "While I breathe, I hope." In the same month that insurrectionists attacked Congress and carried the Confederate flag in our Capitol, we saw our first Black vice president and Georgia's first Black senator sworn in. And that was made possible because people like you turned reflection into action.
Our fight is far from over. We must address the systemic racism that plagues our nation -- from health care to environmental protection to criminal justice -- if we truly want to build our country back better than ever before.
Together, we can follow in the footsteps of the heroes we celebrate this month by educating ourselves, listening to others, and more. We made a list of actions for you that include signing petitions, joining racial justice organizations, and attending virtual book clubs, and I hope you'll help continue the fight.
Join me in celebrating Black History Month with intention -- take a minute to pick a few actions to commit to this month to make our nation better for each and every one of us:
Happy Black History Month!
Jaime
Jaime Harrison
Chair
Democratic National Committee