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.