Statement by U.S. Senator Mark Dayton on Black History Month

Statement by U.S. Senator Mark Dayton on Black History Month

Every February, Americans recognize the rich history of African-Americans and pay tribute to their tremendous contributions to our country. As we begin the month-long tribute, I am proud to celebrate the many achievements of African-Americans, in Minnesota and nationwide.

In the late 1830's, in what is now the site of my Senate Office at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, lived one of the earliest and most influential figures in America's abolition movement, Dred Scott. According to Scott, his two-year residence in the free state of Minnesota meant that he was no longer a slave, even after his subsequent move to Missouri, then a slave state. Although the United States Supreme Court rejected his argument, Dred Scott's was a landmark case which ultimately paved the way for the complete abolition of slavery in the United States.

Today, more than 170,000 African-Americans make their homes in Minnesota. They are doctors, nurses, lawyers, educators, entrepreneurs, police officers, firefighters, public officials, and community leaders. Many in the older generation were leaders and activities in the Civil Rights movement. Those commitments are being continued by their sons, daughters, and grandchildren in inclusive communities throughout Minnesota.

Despite that progress, much more must be done to extend full rights and equal opportunities of citizenship to all African-Americans.

One of the keys to that effort is public education, and nowhere is the failure of our society to provide full opportunities to all Americans more glaring. State and federal financial support for all our schoolchildren has declined, both in real dollars and also relative to other states. Funds for children from economically disadvantaged families have fallen critically behind the numbers of youngsters who qualify for them. They are being denied the help they need to get equal starts and fair chances to achieve the American dream and to become fully contributing citizens. That failure is morally wrong, socially destructive, and tragically shortsighted.

Thus, let us use this month to honor our African-American families, friends, and fellow citizens. Let us recognize their successes and our country's progress. Let us also rededicate ourselves to the founding and best principles of our country: "That all men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

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