Legislature(2001 - 2002)
02/27/2001 08:02 AM House STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HCR 4 - AFRICAN-AMERICAN CITIZEN RECOGNIT'N MONTH Number 0099 CHAIR COGHILL announced the first order of business would be HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4, declaring February 2001 to be African-American Citizen Recognition Month. Number 0121 REPRESENTATIVE FRED DYSON came forward to testify as sponsor of HCR 4. "We have a delightful population in our state: very diverse," he said. "What we are trying to do here with this bill is ... raise people's awareness of the contribution that African-Americans have made in Alaska's history and are making currently." He explained that the timing of the resolution is tied in with what is going on nationally. Thirty-some other states have passed similar resolutions, and there is a national African-American Citizen Recognition Month as well. REPRESENTATIVE DYSON suggested that because it was unlikely that HCR 4 would get through both houses of the legislature before the end of February, the committee might wish to change the date of African-American Citizen Recognition Month from February of 2001 to February of both 2001 and 2002. Number 0239 REPRESENTATIVE DYSON noted that there have been African- Americans in Alaska since early in the American period of Alaskan history. One of his favorites is "Roaring Mad" Mike Healy, the famous captain of the U.S. Revenue Marine Service who served with distinction on the Revenue Cutters Corwin and Bear. Captain Healy, who was born in slavery, is a significant figure in Alaskan history. John Muir sailed with Captain Healy and rode aboard the Corwin on two of his famous trips to Alaska, one of which included the exploration of Glacier Bay. REPRESENTATIVE DYSON said Captain Healy also was [among] the first Americans to land on Wrangell Island, establishing the "interesting claim we have to Wrangell Island off the coast of Northern Siberia," as Representative Dyson put it. Captain Healy also participated in the rescue of literally scores of people on ships, particularly noteworthy being his search for survivors of the Jeannette. Many maps still in use are based on surveys made by Captain Healy. Number 0376 REPRESENTATIVE DYSON continued, saying, "The Alaska Highway was largely built by African-American troops in 1941-43, and African-Americans are continuing to make significant contributions to Alaska." He said one of his best friends in Eagle River is Bill Green, "who pastors an amazing church there, ... started the food bank, and is a constant source of agitation for many of the very best things in my little community." Alaska also has a remarkable repository of World War II, Korean, and Viet Nam veterans, including a number of African-Americans who served with great distinction. One was among the airmen in an elite group that flew P51-Ds in World War II and had the singular distinction of never losing a bomber that they escorted over Germany. REPRESENTATIVE DYSON was pleased to sponsor HCR 4. "You can always argue that these things are full of sound and fury and signifying very little," he said. "But, in fact, I think it does send a signal that we recognize a remarkable and disproportionate contribution made by this group of Alaskans, and, hopefully, ... will help to raise people's awareness and appreciation." Number 0555 ROSALEE WALKER, a retired educator and a 34-year resident of Juneau, thanked Representative Dyson for sponsoring HCR 4. She quoted Eleanor Roosevelt, saying, "It's better to light one little candle than to stumble in the dark." MS. WALKER said she has been among those educators pushing for a long time to get school curriculum updated to ... include the contributions of ... minority groups, especially the African- Americans, throughout the United States. She belongs to a national organization, "and we do do a little bit of agitation from time to time" to get people to recognize [that] African- Americans have more value than people give them credit for [in] the advancement of the United States of America. "We helped to make this a great country, and we have helped to make this a wonderful state in which to live," she said. "It's not always a bed of roses, but just like the family, you fight and then you go back and hang together." MS. WALKER appreciates HCR 4 because, she said, unfortunately, children do not often have role models who are other than sports figures. There are highly educated [African-American] people in high positions in Alaska that they never hear about. When she talked to a group of about 50 children in Anchorage, only two knew that there was at that time a black judge in Anchorage, Superior Court District Judge Larry Card, and that included the adults who were with the children. MS. WALKER continued: This type of thing [African-American Citizen Recognition Month] really is a step forward to help us to spread the word to our children that there's more to our [African-American] people than just sports figures or those on the ... page that talks about illegal actions that people have taken. I really get disturbed when there's not a balance of [emphasis on] the good that's done and the bad that's done. I'm not saying hide the bad, because we need to know that, too. But I'm saying there should be a better balance. MS. WALKER said African-American Citizen Recognition Month "is a candle to keep us from stumbling in the dark, and it serves as a reminder that all groups in this state have some value, and we [African-Americans] have a commitment to the state just like anybody else." Number 0880 REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS called HCR 4 "a great resolution" and said he certainly intends to vote for it, but was concerned about the date because it is asking the governor to sign a proclamation "after the fact." He asked Representative Dyson if he would be comfortable with leaving out any reference to the year and just saying, "declare February to be African-American Citizen Recognition Month." Number 0907 REPRESENTATIVE DYSON explained that if the month were to be designated in perpetuity, that action would have to be taken as a bill rather than as a resolution. He shared Representative Stevens's sensitivity [about the date], and again suggested changing the reference in the bill to the years 2001 and 2002. "Then, maybe next year, some of us will come back with a bill," he added. CHAIR COGHILL proposed resolving the issue by adding the year 2002 and sending HCR 4 out of committee with that amendment. There being no objection, HCR 4 was amended to declare February to be African-American Citizen Recognition Month in both years, 2001 and 2002. Number 0967 CHAIR COGHILL said something "that always concerns me when we do this is that the respect for other people is maintained as we honor others." The resolution itself is good, "that we recognize people of African-American descent." But in his lifetime, he has seen many instances in which: "... the equality issue ... [has been seen as] a cultural issue, and I don't want to foster a cultural issue that is going to help us misinterpret our equality as individuals. Many times, we come [up to] the very edge of that by recognizing ...[particular] cultures, and my attitude is for us to be color blind when it comes to equality under the law and to appreciate each other's color when it comes to culture. So as we send this resolution forward, I'm going to pass it out, but it's going to be with a caveat that I'm always cautious of honoring one group and not recognizing that [doing so] always presents the danger of [fostering] that color sensitivity. CHAIR COGHILL acknowledged that he was treading on thin ice because many people do not understand what he is trying to say, "That equality under law and recognition of culture can go hand in hand, but I want to make sure we're not misunderstanding that here." Number 1096 MS. WALKER understood Chair Coghill's concern, but suggested looking at the issue more from an educational point of view than from a cultural one. She noted that February has been designated as Black History Month, which originated years ago as Negro History Week. The designation of February as African- American Citizen Recognition Month is ...[an] addendum to teaching young people about the African-American role in American history. "We're not looking at any special favors because there are other groups," she said. "I go around to schools ... all during the year and talk about Elizabeth Peratrovich and other people who have made contributions to the state. But I appreciate the fact that Representative Dyson brought [HCR 4] during ... Black History Month, when we can tie it in as an educational entity. Number 1203 REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS moved to report HCR 4, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHCR 4(STA) was passed out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.
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