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A RESOLUTION honoring the 22nd Black History Celebration and recognizing 1
that Black history is American history. 2
WHEREAS, in 1776, people envisioned the United States as a new nation dedicated 3
to the proposition stated in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created 4
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among 5
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"; and 6
WHEREAS, Africans were first brought involuntarily to the shores of the United 7
States as early as the 17th century; and 8
WHEREAS, African Americans suffered enslavement and subsequently faced the 9
injustices of lynch mobs, segregation, and denial o f the basic and fundamental rights of 10
citizenship; and 11
WHEREAS, in 2026, the vestiges of those injustices and inequalities remain 12
evident in the society of the United States; and 13
WHEREAS, in the face of injustices, people of good will and of all races in t he 14
United States have distinguished themselves with a commitment to the noble ideals on 15
which the United States was founded and have fought courageously for the rights and 16
freedom of African Americans and others; and 17
WHEREAS, the contributions of African A mericans from all walks of life 18
throughout the history of the United States reflect the greatness of the United States; and 19
WHEREAS, many African Americans lived, toiled, and died in obscurity, never 20
achieving the recognition those individuals deserved, an d yet they paved the way for 21
future generations to succeed; and 22
WHEREAS, African Americans continue to serve the United States at the highest 23
levels of business, government, and the military; and 24
WHEREAS, the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass inspired the 25
creation of Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month; and 26
WHEREAS, Negro History Week represented the culmination of the efforts of Dr. 27
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Carter G. Woodson, the "Father of Black History," to enhance knowledge of Black 1
history through The Journal of Negro History, published by the Association for the Study 2
of African Americ an Life and History, which was founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson 3
and Jesse E. Moorland; and 4
WHEREAS, in 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson proposed and launched a weeklong 5
celebration of the individuals and occasions having a significant impact on African 6
American history, and has since been known as the "Father of Black History"; and 7
WHEREAS, Dr. Carter G. Woodson had ties to the Commonwealth, working in the 8
Kentucky coal mines as a child. The son of former slaves, he enrolled in high school at 9
the age of 20 and w ent on to graduate from Berea College with a bachelor's degree, 10
receive his master's degree from the University of Chicago, and earn a Ph.D. from 11
Harvard University, where he was one of the first scholars to study African American 12
history; and 13
WHEREAS, Dr. Carter G. Woodson stated, "We have a wonderful history behind 14
us... If you are unable to demonstrate to the world that you have this record, the world 15
will say to you, ‘You are not worthy to enjoy the blessings of democracy or anything 16
else.’"; and 17
WHEREAS, since its founding, the United States has imperfectly progressed 18
toward noble goals; and 19
WHEREAS, the history of the United States is the story of people regularly 20
affirming high ideals, striving to reach those ideals but often failing, and then struggl ing 21
to come to terms with the disappointment of that failure, before committing to try again; 22
and 23
WHEREAS, during the month of February 2026, across the United States of 24
America and this great Commonwealth, observances are held to increase public 25
awareness of the importance of Black history and the contributions that African 26
Americans have made toward this country; and 27
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WHEREAS, in 2026, the Kentucky Black Legislative Caucus and all Kentuckians 1
pause to recognize and reflect on the accomplishments African Am ericans have made in 2
this Commonwealth and across the nation throughout each year and throughout the 3
history of this nation, and in so doing we commemorate our 22nd annual Black History 4
Celebration; and 5
WHEREAS, Dr. Roger Cleveland will serve as this year' s keynote speaker. Dr. 6
Cleveland is a transformational leader, groundbreaking educator, and researcher in the 7
fields of diversity, equity, cultural humility, and academic innovation. Through his work, 8
he has partnered with hundreds of school districts, uni versities, agencies, and companies. 9
He currently resides in Lexington, Kentucky, with his wife, Audra, and his children, 10
Maya, Taylor, and Dorian; and 11
WHEREAS, Dr. Cleveland has spent over 20 years in K -12 and higher education. 12
He was the Director of the D ivision of Equity and Federal Programs at the Kentucky 13
Department of Education. Dr. Cleveland's teaching expertise has allowed him to educate 14
students at Morehead State University, the University of Kentucky (adjunct), Middle 15
Tennessee State University, Ke ntucky State University, and Eastern Kentucky 16
University; and 17
WHEREAS, Dr. Cleveland has published several equity, inclusion, and education -18
related articles. He has hosted numerous nationwide equity, leadership, and 19
organizational workshops and lectures. D r. Cleveland is Chair of the Board of Directors 20
of the nationally known Black Males Working Academy, a program focused on college 21
and career readiness through academics, social -emotional learning, and leadership for 22
African-American males in grades K-12; and 23
WHEREAS, Dr. Cleveland was appointed to the Health Disparity and Equity 24
Technical Advisory Committee by Governor Andy Beshear. He is also a member of the 25
Morehead State University Alumni Hall of Fame and the Jefferson County Public 26
Schools' Equity Hall of Fame. Dr. Cleveland is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi 27
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Fraternity Incorporated; and 1
WHEREAS, Dr. Cleveland has received a host of recognitions and awards. He was 2
inducted into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2014; in 2013 he was awarded 3
the P.G. Peeples Equity and Excellence Achievement Award from the Fayette County 4
Equity Council for his work in improving local schools; he was named the 2012 5
Professor of the Year by the Kentucky Association of Blacks in Higher Education; and he 6
was recognize d with the "Teachers Making a Difference" award at Eastern Kentucky 7
University; and 8
WHEREAS, speakers for the event also include Senate Democratic Floor Leader 9
Gerald A. Neal, House Democratic Floor Leader Pamela Stevenson, Lt. Governor 10
Jacqueline Coleman, Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert, Senate Majority Whip 11
Robby Mills, and Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity Co -chair, Rep. Kevin 12
Jackson; and 13
WHEREAS, we all recognize that Black history is American history; and 14
WHEREAS, not only during the mo nth of February but throughout the year, it is 15
important that we know our history to beneficially meet the challenges of now, and, into 16
the future, we must understand what brought us to this moment; and 17
WHEREAS, the citizens of this great Commonwealth shou ld recommit themselves 18
to an ideal America where equality and justice will always prevail, and to the principles 19
of love, wisdom, and compassion toward one another; 20
NOW, THEREFORE, 21
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 22
Kentucky: 23
Section 1. The members of the Senate, individually and collectively, hereby 24
celebrate Black History and the 22nd annual Black History Celebration, and: 25
(1) Acknowledge that all people of this Commonwealth and the United States are 26
the recipients of the wealth of history provided by Black culture; 27
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(2) Recognize the importance of Black history as an opportunity to reflect on the 1
complex history, while remaining hopeful and confident about the path ahead; 2
(3) Acknowledge the significance of the Black history as an impor tant 3
opportunity to commemorate the tremendous contributions of African Americans to the 4
history of the United States and this great Commonwealth; 5
(4) Encourage the celebration of Black history to provide a continuing 6
opportunity for all people to learn from the past and understand the experiences that have 7
shaped the United States and this great Commonwealth; and 8
(5) Move forward with purpose, united tirelessly as a nation "indivisible, with 9
liberty and justice for all." 10
Section 2. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this 11
Resolution to Senator Gerald A. Neal. 12