Senator Reverend Warnock, Georgia’s first Black Senator and one of only 11 Black Senators in American history, celebrates and honors Black Americans’ immense contributions to our nation in a new video message commemorating Black History Month

Senator Reverend Warnock: “I don’t like to think of Black History Month as a way of limiting Black history to one month — that’s not possible. Rather, it is a way of accentuating, in February, the history that we live with deep love and sometimes through intense struggle, but we live it every single day”

Senator Reverend Warnock: “For me every single day is Black History — American history. I am still in awe that I am here in the Senate, with this amazing opportunity to represent all the people of Georgia”

Click here to watch Senator Reverend Warnock’s Black History Month Message

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA),  Georgia’s first Black Senator and one of only 11 Black Senators in American history, released a video message celebrating and honoring Black Americans’ contributions to the state and nation, in commemoration of Black History Month.

READ the full transcript of the video below:

“Well, hello, my friends and Happy Black History Month! I think it’s so important to realize that Black history really is American history.

“W.E.B Dubois, that towering intellectual of the 20th century, said it best, he said, ‘Where would America be? Without its Negro people?’ That sentiment applies to the sciences, the arts, faith, architecture, and a whole range of human disciplines where Black Americans have made tremendous contributions to our nation and to the world. And so I don’t like to think of Black History Month as a way of limiting Black history to one month — that’s not possible. Rather, it is a way of accentuating, in February, the history that we live with deep love and sometimes through intense struggle, but we live it every single day. And I think that’s good. I think it’s good for all of our children to recognize the ways in which all of us have contributed in various ways to this grand democratic experiment we call America.

“My life is a testament to that grand experiment, to a people who kept the faith in the face of vast odds. I’m just an ordinary kid, after all, who grew up in public housing, and look where I am now, serving in the United States Senate. And so for me every single day is Black History — American history. I am still in awe that I am here in the Senate, with this amazing opportunity to represent all the people of Georgia.

“I’ve been dedicated to making sure that we make good on the American promise that anything is possible — that’s what my mama told me, and I believed her. And so to that end, I’m proud of the work I’ve done and I continue to do, to secure robust funding for our Historically Black Colleges and Universities that for so long have been punching way above their weight.

“I was proud to expand the Child Tax Credit to help lift millions of Georgia children out of poverty. And know that I’ll continue to push for the extension of this game changing tax cut for working families.

“I’ve been in the trenches for a long time, and now that I’m in the Senate, I’m fighting to protect the sacred right to vote for every eligible American. And I won’t let cynical politicians deter me from this fight. We must secure voting rights no matter what.

“Thanks to my advocacy, the Senate is on the cusp of providing access to affordable health care coverage for 646,000 Georgians, and millions of working Americans. By closing the Medicaid coverage gap. I’m proud of that work. 

“I’m proud that of the work that I’ve done to secure critical investments that will strengthen Georgia’s infrastructure, help support and create jobs, and improve mobility for all. 

“I believe that all farmers — the people who literally put food on our tables — deserve a fair shot at success. And that is why I’m working hard right now with the USDA to ensure all of our small farmers in Georgia and across the nation, including Black farmers, are getting the federal support they need to compete and thrive in our global economy.

“As I walk the halls of the Senate, I think often of Dr. King and I am inspired by his mission to create a Beloved Community. As we celebrate Black History Month, this February, know that I am always working towards Dr. King’s goals. And I hope that you will join me on this journey towards a brighter future.

“Thank God for the people who kept the faith even in the darkness. Let us keep the faith. Keep fighting. Keep looking up.”

Click here to watch the full video.

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