Sheila Jackson Lee: “First of all, let me acknowledge just a stunning and very pivotal and important Black history message that our whip has…”

“First of all, let me acknowledge just a stunning and very pivotal and important Black history message that our whip has given. He really is our historian, and I certainly want to pay tribute and give credence to the great work that he has established here for us. Mr. Speaker, it was so powerful to be able to reorder critical race theory to critical race fact. I just want to reinforce that everyone knows, and it has been for decades, that critical race theory is an aspect of graduate teaching, master's, Ph.D.s, and in law schools. The basis of it is the seeming infusion of racism in society by way of laws and other actions. Black history has always been, and the founder of Black history always wanted it to be, an opportunity for healing and bringing us together by understanding. I think the whip has laid out a stupendous story, a better understanding of Charles Drew and a better understanding of the light bulb. Why wouldn't boys and girls from all walks of life want to understand how we are better together than we are separate? I just want to take a moment to take up a different theme that speaks to the issue of Black history. I want to talk about the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. As well, I want to make sure that we highlight some aspects of Black history. Mr. Speaker, let me, first of all, indicate that Black history is an important element of who we are.…”