Jim Langevin: “Today marks the end of Black History Month, a time when we are reminded of the great contributions of African-Americans…”

“Today marks the end of Black History Month, a time when we are reminded of the great contributions of African-Americans to our Nation. Rhode Island has a proud history of African-American accomplishments ranging from the heroic deeds of the Black Regiment, which fought under General Nathaniel Greene during the American Revolution, to Ruth Simmons who, as president of Brown University, is the first African-American to head an Ivy League institution. Last month, I met with civil rights leaders from Rhode Island to discuss the work of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and how we are still working to keep alive his vision for America. While we have made great strides since Dr. King's death, we have much more to accomplish. Throughout my service as a public official, I have met far too often with people with no access to affordable health care, housing, or even quality education for their children, and who fear for the safety of their loved ones because of gun violence. Congress must have the courage to address these problems immediately and promote efforts to improve the lives of all Americans. We cannot tolerate violence and crimes that target a victim's race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. We must demand affordable health care and housing. We must support equal pay for equal work. And we must defend affirmative action in order to provide greater opportunities to minority students, workers, and business owners.”