Legislature(2019 - 2020)BARNES 124
03/26/2019 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB72 | |
| Presentation(s): Division of Community and Regional Affairs Database | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HB 72 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 72-BLACK HISTORY MONTH
8:01:17 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 72, "An Act establishing the month of February
as Black History Month."
8:01:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ANDI STORY, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, introduced HB 72. She paraphrased from the first three
paragraphs of the sponsor statement [included in the committee
packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
House Bill 72 establishes February as Black History
Month. It celebrates and honors the contributions
African-Americans have made to Alaska and the United
States.
In recent years, the legislature has offered many
resolutions recognizing Black History Month for each
individual year. HB 72 and its companion, SB 40, would
enshrine the recognition into statute. With passage of
HB 72, Alaska joins other states and nations that have
adopted Black History Month.
HB 72 celebrates the many accomplishments, both
recognized and forgotten, of African-Americans and
their contributions to Alaskan communities. The
recognition of Black History Month is necessary to
acknowledge and promote the continued work of African-
Americans who have contributed to Alaska's workforce,
economic development, culture, and community.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY said HB 72 would ensure that Alaskans learn
about people who have contributed to the state, including Bettye
Davis, who was the first African-American woman elected to the
Senate in 2000. Former Senator Davis also served as chair of
the state Board of Education and Early Development and in the
Alaska House of Representatives from 1991-1996. Representative
Story relayed that before former Senator Davis started a career
in government, she was a social worker, mentor, and made life
better for children across the state.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY talked about attorney and scholar, Mahala
Ashley Dickerson, who was Alaska's first African-American
attorney and, in 1983, the first African-American to be elected
president of a national association of women lawyers. In 1959
Ms. Dickerson established a law practice in Anchorage, Alaska,
and one of her most notable cases was an equal pay lawsuit filed
on behalf of a female professor at the University of Alaska.
Representative Story said, "It was one of the first cases
representing women professors at an American university whose
salaries were lower than their male counterparts." She said Ms.
Dickerson lost the case, but it was won upon appeal in 1975.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY concluded, "I believe this bill promotes
cross-cultural understanding and honors the cultural diversity
in our communities and our state." She asked committee members
to join her in support of HB 72.
8:04:15 AM
CAITLYN ELLIS, Staff, Representative Andi Story, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Story, prime sponsor of
HB 72, offered a brief history related to Black History Week.
She said it was created in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, in
Washington, D.C., and called "Negro History Week." Mr. Woodson
chose the second week in February to correlate this recognition
with the celebration of the births of Abraham Lincoln and
Frederick Douglas. Ms. Ellis quoted an article by Lonnie Bunch
that lists two reasons for the establishment of Negro History
Week, as follows:
One was to use history to prove to White America that
Blacks have played important roles in the creation of
America and thereby deserve to be treated equally as
citizens. In essence, Woodson, by celebrating the
heroic Black figure - be they inventors, entertainers,
soldiers - hoped to prove our worth, and by proving
our worth, he believed that equality would soon
follow. His other goal was to increase the visibility
of Black life in history at a time when few
newspapers, books, and universities took notice of the
Black community, except to dwell upon the negative.
Ultimately, Woodson believed Negro History Week, which
became Black History Month in 1976, would be a vehicle
for racial transformation forever.
... Hopefully a renewed Black History Month can focus
attention on the importance of preserving African-
American culture.
MS. ELLIS noted that in Alaska communities have their own ways
of celebrating Black History Month, including gospel choir
performances in Juneau and Fairbanks, and this year in
Anchorage, the first Bettye Davis African-American Summit was
held.
MS. ELLIS pointed out that many resolutions have been brought
forward over the years recognizing Black History Month. Each
resolution was specific to a particular year. In order to
establish Black History Month in perpetuity, it must be done
statutorily, through a bill such as HB 72.
8:07:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON said Black History Month is celebrated
nationally and in Alaska. She asked what HB 72 would offer that
does not already exist.
REPRESENTATIVE STORY clarified that by putting Black History
Month in statute, the legislature would not have to bring it up
each year as must be done with a resolution. She said this
would promote planning and cultural understanding. She said,
"Obviously it's one month that it's designated, but it's
intertwined through all the months of the year." She said there
is a zero fiscal note; the state would not put money into the
events but would "continue to rely on communities to celebrate
... as they do."
8:08:31 AM
MS. ELLIS noted that on line 5 of the proposed legislation, the
word "may" is used to indicate that the celebration of Black
History Month would not be mandated. She said whereas in the
past Black History Month was brought forward through
resolutions, perhaps every year or sporadically, under HB 72, it
would be in statute for the first time.
8:09:26 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN opened public testimony on HB 72.
8:09:42 AM
SALLY DONALDSON testified in support of HB 72. She said she
worked in the Juneau School District for 23 years, and prior to
that in North Carolina and Georgia. She said Black History
Month has been important in schools and in the community. She
opined that having Black History Month placed in statute would
be well-deserved by many African-Americans who have contributed
and continue to contribute to Alaska's history. She said she
liked what Representative Story stated about the celebration of
many accomplishments, both those recognized and those forgotten.
Ms. Donaldson indicated that putting Black History Month under
statute would emphasize its importance. She said although no
appropriation of funds would be required under HB 72, its value
would be priceless, because "Alaskans of all ages in schools and
communities will recognize the month of February as Black
History Month, as written in the statute."
8:11:15 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON asked whether Ms. Donaldson was saying
that currently in schools Black History Month was not being
recognized.
MS. DONALDSON answered no, but putting it in statute "would make
a statement that our state recognizes this as a month and wants
to set aside the entire month of February." She said she knows
that schools are celebrating Martin Luther King Day, as well as
Black History Month in February.
8:12:23 AM
CELESTE HODGE GROWDEN testified in support of HB 72. She said
she served as president of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for nearly a decade in the
1980s, and most recently, she has served as president of the
Silo Community Development, Inc., which she described as "a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers youth,
minorities, and the disadvantaged to improve lives." She
continued:
The organization's goal is to enhance the quality of
life of those less fortunate by providing transitional
assistance, economical and educational opportunity,
job search support, health education, prevention and
wellness programs, and youth mentorship. The major
emphasis of SCDI is to develop and promote programs
that advance minorities, youth, and the disadvantaged
in health, education, justice, and economic
development.
MS. HODGE GROWDEN said she is proud to state that SCDI organized
the first Bettye Davis African-American Summit: "Moving towards
hope together." She said the organization raised money from the
community. Further, SCDI received a grant to support its
"Justice Project," which she described as "a storytelling effort
designed to share achievements and contributions of African-
American trailblazers in Alaska through a series of vignettes."
There have been requests for the vignettes to be shown in
schools.
MS. HODGE GROWDEN admitted that Black History Month is
recognized in public schools but is limited. For example, when
she was in school, she learned about Martin Luther King and
slavery during Black History Month. This year, she said, local
trailblazers were recognized, such as Bettye Davis, Alonzo
Patterson, Blanche Louise Preston McSmith, and Mahala Ashley
Dickerson. Ms. Hodge Growden urged passage of HB 72, because
"we need it in order to not only recognize Black History Month
but to keep it alive and to know locally our trailblazers."
8:15:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON remarked that she considers herself a
trailblazer but had not received an invitation to this event.
She emphasized, "We all need to be recognized, and until the
internal division is healed, we can't expect legislation to do
that work."
MS. HODGE GROWDEN explained that the aforementioned individuals
were recognized through a process opened by SCDI wherein people
could nominate those individuals that they wanted recognized.
She expressed hope that another grant would be received from the
Alaska Community Foundation, and someone may submit
Representative Jackson's name for consideration.
8:16:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON asked Ms. Hodge Growden if she had sent
out an official invitation.
MS. HODGE GROWDEN responded that the community was invited
through a post on Facebook.
8:17:28 AM
SHERRY PATTERSON opined that it is important to "enshrine Black
History Month" in statute. She said her heart breaks each
February when "we have to strive to sponsor events here in the
capital city," though she indicated those events are "eventually
attended and supported by the community." She stated, "Unless
something happens in our hearts, it won't go too much further
than it already has." Ms. Patterson said she loves that she has
family members who are honored during Black History Month. She
stated her support and appreciation of HB 72.
8:19:02 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN recollected that the aforementioned Ms. McSmith,
in Anchorage, had been friends with Rosa Parks. She asked Ms.
Patterson if her recollection is correct.
MS. PATTERSON offered her understanding that was correct. She
said she knew Ms. McSmith and called her a force in Alaska that
should be recognized.
CO-CHAIR HANNAN indicated that the connection between Rosa Parks
and Ms. McSmith reminded her how small the world is.
8:20:10 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN closed public testimony on HB 72.
8:20:13 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON indicated that she had gone to an event
where Ms. Patterson sang. She exclaimed, "This lady can sing
your hearts into this statutory change." She stated that the
proposed bill is appreciated, "but truth and light need to be
shined on the whole situation, right?" Using the permanent fund
dividend (PFD) as an example, she noted that just because
something is put in statute, does not mean it cannot be taken
away. She emphasized the need "to look at the whole picture."
She concluded, "Thank you all for all of your work and for your
great intention in changing the heart of Alaska."
8:22:01 AM
CO-CHAIR HANNAN announced that HB 72 was held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Division of Comm & Regional Affairs Presentation.pdf |
HCRA 3/26/2019 8:00:00 AM |
|
| HB0072A.PDF |
HCRA 3/26/2019 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/28/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 72 |
| HB 072 Sponsor Statement 3.5.19.pdf |
HCRA 3/26/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 72 |
| HB 072 Fiscal Note.pdf |
HCRA 3/26/2019 8:00:00 AM HCRA 3/28/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HB 72 |