On the recordFebruary 25, 2010
I rise today to acknowledge a group that has created opportunities for countless African American men and women in the film and television industry. I rise to submit this Senate Concurrent Resolution honoring the Black Stuntmen's Association and the Coalition of Black Stuntmen and Women for their efforts to not only integrate, but enhance the television and film industry. This is a companion resolution identical to H. Con. Res. 190 submitted by my good friend, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley. I take great pride in submitting this resolution not only because these individuals knocked down the walls of racial discrimination, but also because many of these pioneers now reside in my home State of Nevada. In the 1950s and 1960s few African Americans had roles in television or film and rarely were given the opportunity to work as stuntmen and women. Most often, the few opportunities available to individuals willing to engage the dangerous work as stuntmen were taken by whites, who donned dark make-up to look like the black actors they were portraying. To overcome the barrier of racism and many other obstacles to the entertainment industry, in 1967 a group of courageous men and women formed the Black Stuntmen's Association.
