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Today we celebrate International Mandela Day around the world.
This is, of course, in honor of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who was a South African anti-apartheid activist, politician, and statesman who served as the first President of South Africa from 1994 – 1999. Mandela is South Africa’s first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. Mandela’s government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid.
The Caucus on the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys and the National Action Network held a special a Commission Field Hearing on “Suicide and the Mental Health of Black Men and Boys” in New York, in observance of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Over the past 30 years, the suicide rates among Black men and boys have increased by 160%, underscoring the need for immediate action. Now is the time to work together to advocate for the mental health and wellbeing of Black men and boys.
CHICAGO - Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson (D-1stDistrict Ill) issued the following statement this evening in response to the violence that erupted at a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which left two killed, including the gunman, and three people injured, including former President Donald J. Trump.
Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is observed each July to bring awareness to the unique struggles that communities of color face in accessing mental health care in the U.S. If you are battling mental health issues, never be ashamed to ask for help.
Media Contact: R. Elizabeth Bratton, Director of Communications
Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson on H.R. 8934, the “Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2024”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson has introduced the “Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2024” to strengthen and ensure maritime safety.
Media Contact: R. Elizabeth Bratton, Director of Communications
Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson's Statement on 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
A special screening of “Major Taylor: Champion of the Race” was held on Capitol Hill. The documentary retraces the life and legacy of an American civil rights pioneer who set more than 20 world records in speed cycling during the heart of Jim Crow America. By the time he was in his early 20s, Major Taylor had captured the world cycling championship, the American cycling crown, and had set dozens of world speed cycling records – all while having to endure withering racial pressures. See a sneak peek here. This is an all-ages film.
Before the time of Jessie Owens, Jack Johnson, Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali; Marshall “Major” was the first black, sports superstar. He was a cyclist, the fastest in the world. Taylor was a civil rights pioneer. He pedaled through racial barriers, and helped to advance the rights of African Americans in sports. There are bike clubs and trails around the country, named in his honor.
On the night of Freedom‘s Eve in 1863, free and enslaved African-Americans gathered in churches and homes across the nation, eagerly awaiting the news of the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation. At Midnight, all enslaved people in the Confederate States were declared legally free. Union soldiers marched onto southern plantations, reading miniature copies of the proclamation to spread the news that slavery had been abolished in those states. However, not everyone immediately heard the news of their freedom.
A father is a son’s first hero and a daughter’s first love. I want to wish my superhero and all superheroes a Happy Father’s Day. I thank my father for his love, tutelage, tenancy and perseverance. If he wasn’t holding my hand, his hand was on my back. Thank you for instilling in me the strength to continue the work.