EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

1-1 Whereas, African-American History Month will be celebrated in

1-2 Nevada throughout the month of February; and

1-3 Whereas, During this month, Nevadans will have an opportunity to

1-4 become aware of the influence of African-Americans on the history of

1-5 Nevada; and

1-6 Whereas, Although African-Americans have made significant

1-7 contributions to the development of the State of Nevada, little significant

1-8 study has been accomplished in the area of western African-American

1-9 history, especially in Nevada; and

1-10 Whereas, When the West was first settled, African-Americans,

1-11 although legally free and legally citizens, were nevertheless effectively

1-12 disenfranchised throughout many states and subjected to various types of

1-13 discrimination and segregation, legal and extralegal, throughout most of

1-14 the other states; and

1-15 Whereas, The small but active population of African-American settlers

1-16 in northern Nevada included Benjamin Palmer, who purchased his freedom

1-17 from slavery and moved to the Carson Valley where he became a

1-18 successful cattle rancher on his 400 acres, and James P. Beckwourth, who

1-19 operated a ranch in the Sierra Valley and after whom a mountain pass

1-20 north of Reno is named; and

2-1 Whereas, In southern Nevada, Lorenzo and Dow Barton, two brothers

2-2 who settled in Caliente in 1857, were responsible for the early

2-3 development of this town; and

2-4 Whereas, African-Americans in this state have a long and active

2-5 history of protesting against racial prejudice and social injustice through

2-6 writing, community organization and oration and have had among their

2-7 leaders people such as the Reverend Bill Stevens of Las Vegas, who, in the

2-8 1940’s went daily to restaurants that discriminated against African-

2-9 Americans to attempt to order a meal or a cup of coffee, and Alice Smith,

2-10 who founded the Reno-Sparks branch of the NAACP in 1945 and

2-11 organized many religious and community activities throughout her life;

2-12 and

2-13 Whereas, History has demonstrated that the African-American

2-14 residents of Nevada have maintained a solid social, religious and cultural

2-15 identity while aggressively asserting rights to legal and educational

2-16 equality; and

2-17 Whereas, While there continues to be a need to acknowledge the

2-18 importance of minorities in both the history and future of this state, our

2-19 recognition and observance of African-American History Month is a step

2-20 in that direction; now, therefore, be it

2-21 Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the Assembly

2-22 Concurring, That the month of February is hereby designated African-

2-23 American History Month; and be it further

2-24 Resolved, That the residents of this state are encouraged to join in this

2-25 observance and celebration of the history of African-Americans in the

2-26 United States and especially in the State of Nevada.