CARPENTER FOUNDATION AND THE
CHARLES A. FRUEAUFF FOUNDATION.
THIS WEEK ON TO THE CONTRARY.
FIRST, AN HISTORIC SUMMIT AT THE
VATICAN TAKES ON SEXUAL ABUSE.
THEN, HOW RACISM IMPACTED BLACK
SUFFRAGISTS FIGHTING FOR WOMEN'S
VOTING RIGHTS.
BEHIND THE HEADLINES, THE
HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF BLACK
HISTORY MONTH, FROM TWO WOMEN
WHO KNOW.
HELLO, I'M BONNIE ERBE.
WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY, A
DISCUSSION OF NEWS AND SOCIAL
TRENDS FROM DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES.
UP FIRST, THE POPE TAKES ON SEX
ABUSE.
"HEAR THE CRY OF THE LITTLE ONES
ASKING FOR JUSTICE."
THAT'S WHAT POPE FRANCIS URGED
HIGH-RANKING OFFICIALS TO DO AS
HE OPENED AN HISTORIC SUMMIT
AIMED AT ADDRESSING SEXUAL ABUSE
SCANDALS PLAGUING THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH.
ALMOST 200 CHURCH OFFICIALS FROM
MORE THAN 100 NATIONS ARE AT THE
FOUR-DAY CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS
THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN
DEALING WITH ABUSE ALLEGATIONS.
LAST WEEK, THE POPE DEFROCKED
FORMER US CARDINAL THEODORE
MCCARRICK AFTER HE WAS FOUND
GUILTY OF ABUSE BY THE VATICAN.
EXPERTS SAY THAT MCCARRICK'S
CASE SHOWS THE VATICAN'S
WILLINGNESS TO HOLD POWERFUL
ARCHBISHOPS ACCOUNTABLE.
BUT THAT COMES AFTER DECADES OF
CHURCH OFFICIALS DOWNPLAYING OR
OUTRIGHT DENYING THE PROBLEM.
LAST YEAR, THE POPE HIMSELF CAME
UNDER INTENSE CRITICISM FOR
DEFENDING A CHILEAN BISHOP
WIDELY SUSPECTED OF COVERING UP
ANOTHER BISHOP'S ABUSE.
SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATES ARE
URGING THE POPE TO ESTABLISH A
ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR
ABUSIVE PRIESTS AND THOSE WHO
COVER FOR THEM.
>> SO CONGRESSWOMAN NORTON, IS
THE CHURCH AND THE POPE, ARE
THEY FINALLY ON THE RIGHT TRACK?
>> BONNIE, THE CHURCH IS FINALLY
COMPELLED TO ACT.
NOW THE LAW ENFORCEMENT
AUTHORITIES, LIKE THOSE IN
PENNSYLVANIA, ARE MOVING
AGGRESSIVELY.
>> YEAH.
I THINK THIS IS A BETTER STEP
THAN WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST IN
BOSTON 20 YEARS AGO AND WE SAW
NOTHING COME OF IT.
>> THIS IS A CRISIS OF FAITH AND
I HATE TO SAY IT.
ANYTHING SHORT OF ZERO TOLERANCE
IS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE.
>> WE'RE BANKRUPT IN TERMS OF
MORALITY HERE, AND I THINK THAT
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SEE CAESAR
JUDGING CAESAR.
THE ENDS OF IT.
>> WELL, BUT PATRICE MENTIONED,
MEGAN, AND YOU GREW UP IN THE
CHURCH, THAT, YOU KNOW, BOSTON
20S YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY THE
SCANDALS BROKE IN AUSTRALIA 30
YEARS AGO AND HIT THE U.S. TWO
DECADES AGO, AND I KNOW THAT'S
LIKE A SPLIT SECOND IN THE
HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH,
WHICH TOOK 500 YEARS TO
EXONERATE GALILEO, THE GRAVITY
THING.
>> RIGHT.
>> ANYWAY, BUT WILL THIS -- I
MEAN, IS IT JUST GOING TO BE
CHIPPING AWAY?
>> THINGS WOULD MOVE FASTER IN
TODAY'S SOCIETY AND I THINK
PEOPLE UNIVERSITY FEEL LIKE THIS
IS SO LONG OVERDUE AND IT IS
VERY -- IT ECHOES WHAT WE'VE
SEEN IN OTHER PATRIARCHAL
HIERARCHIES.
THERE'S A SICKLING.
WAGON, IN THE MILITARY SEXUAL
ASSAULT, IN-LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH
POLICE ABUSES, AND I THINK
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
AND WE HAVE TO REBUILD THE TRUST
THAT PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR
INSTITUTIONS, AND OF COURSE THAT
WOULD INCLUDE THEIR CHURCH.
>> WELL, ANGELA, WHAT DO YOU
THINK?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK AS THEY ARE
GOING THROUGH THE SUMMIT AND
LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS, THERE'S
GOT TO BE TRANSPARENCY.
THERE'S GOT TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY
IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE
TO REGAIN TRUST IN THE
INSTITUTION.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE PEW RESEARCH
DATA SAYS CONTACT LICKS ARE
LOSING CONFIDENCE.
>> ARE THEY LOSING MEMBERSHIP?
IS THEIR GLOBAL MEMBERSHIP GOING
DOWN?
>> THEY'RE LOSING MEMBERSHIP IN
SOME COUNTRIES.
>> DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN >> IN
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.
>> THEY'RE GONE IN EUROPE PRETTY
MUCH.
RIGHT?
>> THAT WAS HAPPENING ANYWAY.
THIS ONLY ACCELERATES IT.
THIS IS -- IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
FOR US TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
WRONGDOING AND UNDER CIVIL
AUTHORITIES AND WRONGDOING UNDER
THE CHURCH.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT.
THEIRS IS A DIFFERENT MATRIX.
EVEN INVOLVING CHILDREN I'M SURE
THAT THE PRIESTS AND OVER SEARS
THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED HAVE
SAID THEY WILL BE FOR GIVEN AND
WE WILL SEND THEM TO ANOTHER
PLACE.
IT'S AT THE HEART OF
CHRISTIANITY IS FORGIVENESS.
EVEN FOR TERRIBLE SINS LIKE --
>> RIGHT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT --
>> WAIT.
I'M GOING TO SPEAK FROM CATHOLIC
THEOLOGY NOW.
OF COURSE WHAT ABOUT -- BUT I'M
SAYING, WHAT ABOUT THE VICTIMS,
TOO?
IF THE CHURCH OPPOSES CAPITAL
PUNISHMENT?
WHAT I'M -- WHAT ABOUT THE
VICTIMS?
THE CHURCH IS ALWAYS THINKING OF
BOTH THE VICTIM AND -- I'M NOT
CATHOLIC HERE.
OF BOTH THE VICTIM AND THE SIN
L&C TOWER AND SO I'M GOING TO
UNDERSTAND HOW VERY GOOD MEN
LIKE THE POPE WHO, BY THE WAY,
HAS IN MANY WAYS BEEN A
WONDERFUL PATH BREAKING POPE,
HOW HE COULD NOT SEE THIS.
AND I'M TRYING TO KEEP FROM
THINKING LIKE ELEANOR HOLMES
NORTON WITH A LAW DEGREE AND
THINK LIKE A PRIEST.
THAT IS HARD TO DO.
>> BUT THEY DID IT, THIS
COMMISSION OR COUNCIL, LAY OUT
RULES THAT BISHOPS HAVE TO USE
WHEN THEY FIND ALLEGATIONS OF
ABUSE AGAINST PRIESTS, AGAINST
OTHER HIGHER OFFICIALS.
>> WELL, PERHAPS THEY DIDN'T
HAVE THAT BEFORE AND THAT LEVEL
OF ACCOUNTABILITY DIDN'T EXIST.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS.
AN I OUTSIDE OF THE CATHOLIC
SETTING.
THE CHRISTIAN WORLD, LOTS OF
DENOMINATIONS STRUGGLE WITH THIS
VERY SAME ISSUE, WHETHER IT'S,
YOU KNOW -- AND UNFORTUNATELY,
BECAUSE THERE'S A LACK OF
ACCOUNTABILITY, BECAUSE
INDEPENDENT CHURCHES, FOR
EXAMPLE, HAVE NO ONE TELLING
THEM, IMPOSING THESE KINDS OF
RULES THAT BRING SOME
ACCOUNTABILITY, THIS GOES UN
DEMOCRAT WITH.
SO I THINK THIS IS GOOD AND
THERE SHOULD BE A CAUTIONARY
TALE TO EVERY FAITH THAT YOU
NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE
LEADERS AND BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH
THIS BEHAVIOR WHEN IT HAPPENS.
>> I WONDER, THOUGH.
I AM A CATHOLIC.
I HAD 13 YEARS OF CATHOLIC
SCHOOL.
THE FACT THAT THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH IS REALLY SORT OF AN
OUTLIER WHEN IT COMES TO GIVING
WOMEN A PATH TO LEADERSHIP, IF
THAT'S THE REASON, NOW MAYBE
THERE ARE THESE PROBLEMS IN
OTHER CHURCHES AND I JUST DON'T
KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE
THEY ARE SINGULAR IN HAVING SUCH
A BIG PROBLEM.
>> WHOLE, I WAS GOING TO ASK
ABOUT MARRIAGE.
IS THIS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW,
THE SLIPPERY SLOPE TOWARDS ALLOW
ING PRIESTS TO MARRY?
>> YOU MENTIONED SEXUAL ABUSE IN
THE MILITARY.
IT'S NOT LIKE THERE AREN'T BIG
INSTITUTIONS WHERE MARRIAGE IS
ALLOWED, WHERE THIS KIND OF
STUFF DID YOU WANT GO ON, BUT IT
SEALS LIKE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT
WENT ON HERE, I ACTUALLY THINK
IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AND I
THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THE
PRIESTHOOD IN GENERAL.
I THINK THERE WOULD BE A GREATER
UNDERSTANDING OF THE FLOCK IF
THEY'RE HAVING SIMILAR LIVES.
I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY THAT
WOULD BE NECESSARY.
AND EVERYBODY I KNOW IN THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH SAID IT WAS AN
ECONOMIC DECISION.
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO PAY
FOR ALL THOSE FAMILIES, WHICH,
YOU KNOW, COULD MAKE SOME SENSE.
>> BUT ALSO, IT'S RAISING A LOT
OF THE SEMINARIANS ARE WHERE THE
OLDER PRIESTS WERE GOING TO FOR
THEIR SEXUAL OUTLETS AND IT WAS
MALE ON MALE.
WHAT'S THIS GOING TO DO TO THE
CHURCH DEALING WITH GAY PRIESTS
IN >> I DON'T KNOW.
YOU KNOW, EARLY ON IN HIS TERM,
THIS POPE SAID LIVE AND LET LIVE
WITH REGARD TO GAY RELATIONSHIPS
>> YES.
>> AND WHO AM I TO JUDGE.
I MEAN, HE HAS SAID SOME VERY --
IT MAY HAVE BEEN WHO AM I TO
JUDGE IT, NOT LIVE AND LET LIVE,
BUT IT WAS SORT OF THE FIRST
OPEN DOOR, YOU KNOW, OPEN
STATEMENT MADE BY THE CHURCH
WITH, AND IT WAS REALLY KIND OF
AMAZING AND HOPEFUL, BECAUSE WE
LIKE TO THINK IF WE'RE
CHRISTIANS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
EMBRACE EVERYONE, THAT WE'LL BE
COMPASSION NATIONALITY, WE'LL BE
UNDERSTANDING, AND SO I THINK
THIS PARTICULAR POPE HAS
ACTUALLY MADE SOME MOVEMENT ON
THAT.
>> BUT HE'S MOVING SO SLOWLY.
THE POPE IS LIKE A WORLDWIDE
INSTITUTION, SO THEY'VE GIVEN US
MCCARRICK.
THEY COULD HAVE GIVEN US MANY
MORE OF HE'S TRYING TO MAKE A
STATEMENT BY GIVING US A HIGH
PRIEST FROM THE NATION'S CAPITOL
BUT ONE WONDERS WHETHER THE
CHURCH CAN BREAK ITS VERY SLOW
WAY TO DEAL WITH EVERYTHING,
WHETHER IT'S A PROBLEM OR NOT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.
PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.
FROM THE FUTURE OF THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH TO BLACK HISTORY MONTH
AND A HORRIFIC, LITTLE-KNOWN
ASPECT OF FIRST WAVE SUFFRAGIST
HISTORY: THE RACISM WHITE WOMEN
EXHIBITED TOWARD THEIR BLACK
COUNTERPARTS IN THE FIGHT FOR
WOMEN'S RIGHT TO VOTE.
CALL IT EXPLICIT INSENSITIVITY
BY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN
BETTER.
CALL IT SUSAN B. ANTHONY,
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON AND OTHER
WHITE SUFFRAGISTS ACTING AS
PRODUCTS OF THEIR OWN RACIST
TIMES.
BUT BLACK SUFFRAGISTS WHO FOUGHT
EQUALLY HARD FOR WOMEN'S RIGHT
TO VOTE SUFFERED THE
DEMORALIZING EFFECT OF RACISM
FROM THE WHITE WOMEN RUNNING THE
MOVEMENT.
FOR ONE, BLACK WOMEN HAD TO FORM
THEIR OWN SUFFRAGE LEAGUE, WHICH
MARCHED AT THE BACK OF PARADES
ORGANIZED TO PRESS FOR
RATIFICATION OF THE 19TH
AMENDMENT INSTEAD OF WITH THEIR
STATE DELEGATIONS AS DID WHITE
SUFFRAGISTS.
WHEN THE BLACK SUFFRAGIST AND
CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER MARY CHURCH
TERRELL PETITIONED HER WHITE
SISTERS FOR HELP, THEY RESPONDED
THAT THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF
BLACK WOMEN WAS A RACE PROBLEM,
NOT A GENDER PROBLEM, AND BEYOND
THE MOVEMENT'S WRIT.
>> WHEN I LOCK AT THE LEADERSHIP
OF THE WOMEN'S MARCH, WHICH IS
ACTUALLY AT LEAST THE YOUNG
WOMEN WHO ARE INSTATED BY THE
OLDER PILL WHO ACTUALLY STARTED
THE MARCH IN THE FIRST PLACE,
BUT THE YOUNG WOMEN ARE MORE OF
COLOR THAN WHITE.
AND THEN I THINK ABOUT THIS
EXAMPLE IN HISTORY.
DO WHITE FEMINISTS STILL OWE
BLACK FEMINISTS SOMETHING?
WHATEVER THAT MAY BE FOR THE
SINS OF THEIR GREAT GRANDMOTHERS
>> NO, NO.
NO, NO.
NO DEBTS HERE.
WHAT THESE WOMEN WERE QUOTING IS
THE RACISM OF THEIR TIME.
BEAR IN MIND THAT MANY OF THESE
SUFFREGETTE LEADER HAD BEEN
LEADERS IN THE ABOLITION
MOVEMENT.
THE FIRST ABOLITIONISTS WERE
WHITE WOMEN.
THEN WHEN WE GOT AS LATE AS THE
20TH CENTURY AND STILL NO
MOVEMENT ON HALF THE POPULATION,
THEY TOOK A VERY STRATEGIC AND
UNPRINCIPLED POSITION, AND ONE
WONDERS --
>> WHICH, SPELL IT OUT.
>> AND THEN UNPRINCIPLED
POSITION WAS, LIKE, ALL OF THIS,
ALL OF THIS DESEGREGATION THAT
WE'VE BEEN FOR TAKES A BACK SEAT
, AND I MEAN LITERALLY A
BACK SEAT.
WE WAITED TOO LONG, AND
ESSENTIALLY, THEY MADE A
STRATEGIC POSITION.
A STRATEGIC POSITION SURROUNDED
BY AVERAGE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY
THAT SAID BLACKS WERE INFERIOR
ANYWAY.
WE'VE BEEN OUT HERE AND THEY'VE
TAKEN CARE OF EVERYBODY BUT US.
WE ARE THE MAJORITY AND WE ARE
CLAIMING OUR RIGHTS.
AND IN DOING SO, THEY LOST THE
RESPECT OF THE BLACK SUFFRAGETTE
S AND WHAT IT TAKES
IT DO TWO THING AT ONE TIME.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE WOMEN WERE
-- THOUGHT THEY COULD NOT
DO, DEAL WITH RACISM AND SEXISM
AT THE SAME TIME.
>> WOULD THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED, DO
YOU THINK, IF THEY TRIED TO DO
BOTH BACK IN THE 19-TEENS?
>> I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A
RISK THEY'D HAVE HAD TO TAKE,
AND WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF
A MOVEMENT TONIGHT TRYING TO
MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY AND TRYING
TO -- YOU'RE TIRED OF WAITING,
THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE
THEY HAD THE TIME AND SPACE TO
TRY TO WORK OUT ALL THE DETAILS
OF THAT, BUT I TELL YOU THIS.
I SALUTE THE BLACK WOMEN FOR
HAVING THE PERSISTENCE AND THE
DEDICATION TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT
NOT ONLY FOR THEIR RIGHTS, BUT
THEIR FAMILY'S RIGHTS.
>> YOU KNOW, JILL DAVORE WROTE A
GREAT BOOK CALLED THESE TRUTHS
ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH
THE LENS OF THE PROMISES OF OUR
FOUNDERS.
WE HOLD THESE TRUTH, AND THOSE
TRUTHS ARE LIBERTY, EQUALITY,
ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY
WERE NOT DELIVERING AT ALL IN A
SOCIETY THAT HAD RACISM TONIGHT
DIDN'T ALLOW WOMEN BASIC RIGHTS.
IN THE 1960S, THERE IS A
CONGRESSMAN WHO WAS TRYING TO
KILL THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.
HE WAS A JIM CROW DEMOCRAT FROM
VIRGINIA.
AND HE SAID I KNOW WHAT I'LL DO.
I'LL PUT WOMEN IN THERE.
AND SO HE PUT WOMEN IN THE BILL
AND THE ONLY REASON THE CIVIL
RIGHTS BILL IN THE 60S HAD
COVERED WOMEN IS BECAUSE THEY
THOUGHT IT WAS A POISON PILL.
SO WHAT'S INTERESTING IS IN THIS
TENSION, HIS NAME WAS
CONGRESSMAN HOWARD SMITH.
AND HE WAS IN THE EIGHTH
DISTRICT WHERE MY HUSBAND NOW
SERVES.
HIS SON ACTUALLY WROTE US A
LETTER AND TOLD US ABOUT THIS.
I SAID, HE'S OFTEN REFERRED TO
WITH US A GREAT FEMINIST FOR
HAVING INCLUDED WOMEN, BUT
HERE'S THE STORY.
AND JILL LAPORE HAS IT IN HER
BOOK, TOO.
>> IT'S SAD TO LOOK BACK AT THIS
, KIND OF THE STRATEGIC
DECISION THAT WERE MADE, YOU
KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE WILLING TO
ACCEPT RACISM JUST BECAUSE YOU
WANT TO GET WOMEN THE VOTE SO
THAT THEN YOU CAN END TEMPERANCE
THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE STR
ATEGERY BEING.
AGAIN, PULL BACK TO 2018, 2019,
AND I LOOK AT THE WOMEN'S MARCH
TODAY.
I SEE, UNFORTUNATELY,
ANTISEMITISM AMONG THE LEADERS.
AND WHILE WE HAVE A MORE DIVERSE
WOMEN'S LEADER -- MOVEMENT IN
SEE PEOPLE'S PREJUDICES STILL
COME OUT.
>> THAT ANTISEMITISM IS ONE
PERSON.
>> TWO.
>> TWO?
>> BEFORE THIS, --
>> THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT THE
LEADERS OF THIS MOVEMENT.
IN FACT, THIS MOVEMENT, WE NEVER
HEARD THE NAMES OF THESE PEOPLE.
HAD IT BEEN THE ONES WHO STEPPED
UP AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE
STEPPED UP AGAINST IT.
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN A NEW WOMEN'S
MARCH WAS CALLED A MONTH OR SO
AGO, THEY SAID THEY'RE NOT DOCK
THIS NATIONALLY.
WE'RE DOING THIS IN OUR STATES
SO WE ARE NOT CONTAMINATED WITH
THIS ANTISEMITISM.
>> WHICH FANTASTIC, DELEGATE
NORTON.
I'M GLAD AT THE STATED LEVEL
PEOPLE PUSH BACK AGAINST THE
ANTISEMITISM.
I WHAT'S GOING TO CONTEST THERE
ISN'T THAT AMONG THE LEADERSHIP.
>> AND IT'S TWO OUT OF FIVE.
THOUGHT TWO OUT OUT OF
100 MILLION.
>> BUT THIS IS NOT LIKE THE
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHERE YOU
REALLY DID HAVE PEOPLE WHO WERE
NOMINATED AND BECAME YOUR
LEADERS.
THESE ARE FIVE WOMEN THAT
STEPPED UP.
THERE'S THIS THING THAT SPREAD
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IF IT I WERE TO ASK YOU TO NAME
EVEN ONE OF THOSE LEADERS, YOU
PROBABLY COULDN'T, BECAUSE
NOBODY EVER HEARD OF THEM.
IT'S TRUE THEY STARTED EVERY
OTHER GROUP OF WOMEN, WOMEN
ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO WANT TO DO
EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID.
SO IT KIND OF --
>> AND WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT IT,
IT'S A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT.
>> WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
MY LARGER POINT IS THAT
THROUGHOUT HISTORY, PREJUDICE IS
AN INDIVIDUAL'S WILLS WILL
BUBBLE UP.
IN 100 YEARS PEOPLE WILL LOOK
BACK NOW AT THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT
AND POINTED THAT OUT.
HOPEFULLY WE'RE ADDRESSING IT,
DEALING WITH IT, ASK THEN PUSH
IT ASIDE AND NOT, YOU KNOW,
LOOKING BACK AND BEING THE SAME
PEOPLE WE WERE 100 YEARS AGO.
>> ALL RIGHT.
BEHIND THE HEADLINE.
WE CONTINUE OUR COVERAGE OF
BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
BEHIND THE HEADLINES: WE
CONTINUE OUR COVERAGE OF BLACK
HISTORY MONTH.
WE INTERVIEWED TWO VERY
PROMINENT AFRICAN AMERICAN
FEMALE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS,
RBARA LEE AND KAREN BASS, WHO
VE SECURED THEIR OWN SPOTS IN
E HISTORY BOOKS.
>> AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY
MONTH IS ALWAYS A VERY POSITIVE
THING, AND IT'S IMPORTANT,
BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO
LIFT UP THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT
BLACK AMERICANS HAVE MADE TO
U.S. HISTORY.
I DO LONG FOR THE DAY WHEN IT'S
NOT REALLY NEEDED, BECAUSE
AFRICAN-AMERICANS WOULD BE
COMPLETELY INCORPORATED INTO
U.S. HISTORY, BUT WE HAVEN'T
ACHIEVED THAT DAY YET.
>> REPRESENTATIVE BASS CHAIRS
THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS.
BASS BELIEVES THERE'S NO
AMERICAN HISTORY WITHOUT BLACK
HISTORY AND SHE SEES IT AS A
LEVEL HISTORY WITH NOTABLES SUCH
AS STACY ABRAMS WE CAN BECOMING
THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN
TO DELIVER THE OFFICIAL RESPONSE
TO THE STATE OF THE UNION
ADDRESS, WE ALSO POINTS TO
PERSONAL SHEROS.
>> MY ROLE MODELS?
OH MANY PEOPLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE WOMAN WHO WAS
IN CONGRESS BEFORE ME,
CONGRESSWOMAN DIANE WATSON IS
ABSOLUTELY A ROLE MODEL.
SHE IS A PERSON THAT RECRUITED
ME TO RUN FOR OFFICE THE FIRST
TIME AND ALSO TO RUN FOR HER
SIGHT AND SHE DECIDED TO RETIRE.
AND I CALL ON HER RIGHT AWAY
BECAUSE I THINK SHE'S A
WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF A WOMAN
REACHING BACK TO A YOUNGER WOMAN
AND SAYING, COME ONBOARD.
ONE THAT I ALWAYS LOOK TO IS
HARRIET TUBMAN, AN ENCLAVED
WOMAN WHO DEVOTED HER LIFE TO
INDUSTRYING ON AFRICANS WHO WERE
ENSLAVED.
AND SHE WAS A SOLDIER.
AND I'VE ALWAYS APPRECIATE HER
LEADERSHIP ROLE IN HISTORY.
>> BASS MADE HISTORY HERSELF AS
A LEADER BREAKING BARRIERS.
>> WHEN I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE
, MY LAST TERM I WAS
ELECTED SPEAKER, AND I REMEMBER
THAT RACE AND IT WAS VERY
EXCITING, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WAS THE MOST EXCITING WAS
WHEN THEY DID THE RESEARCH AND
FOUND THAT THERE HADN'T BEEN AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN SPEAKER
ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
AND SO MY ELECTION TO THE
SPEAKERSHIP IN CALIFORNIA WAS
THE FIRST TIME AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN HAD BEEN
ELECTED SPEAKER OF ANY
LEGISLATIVE BODY.
>> REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA LEE,
FORMER CHAIR OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS,
CREDITS HER POLITICAL CAREER TO
A PROMINENT AFRICAN-AMERICAN
HISTORIC FIGURE.
>> MY ENTREE UNTIL POLITICS
REALLY WAS START.
FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN, WOMAN
ELECTED TO CONGRESS WHO ALSO RAN
FOR PRESIDENT, AND THAT WAS
CONGRESSWOMAN SHIRLEY CHISOLM.
AND SHE HE KNOW SCOURGED ME TO
RUN, ENCOURAGED MY TO REGISTER
TO VOTE, FIRST OF ALL, AND GET
INVOLVED IN POLITICS.
AND FAST FORWARD TO WHEN I WAS
ELECTED IN 1998.
I WAS THE 20TH AFRICAN-AMERICAN
WOMEN ONLY SINCE 1789 TO HAVE
BEEN ELECTED TO THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
>> LEE ALSO SEES HER MOTHER AS A
ROLE MODEL AND A WOMAN WORTHY OF
NOTE IN THE HISTORY BOOKS.
>> MY MOTHER, MY LATE MOTHER,
SHE WAS A PHENOMENAL WOMAN.
SHE BROKE MANY GLASS CEILINGS.
SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST 12
STUDENTS TO INTEGRATE THE
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO.
SHE WAS I THINK THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN CIVILIAN
WHO WORKED AT FORT BLISS, AND
SHE CALLED MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE
DOWN TO HER UNIVERSITY AT 1
POINT AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
BECAUSE OF AN ISSUE OF ONE WOMAN
COULDN'T JOIN THE SORORITY
BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE COLOR ISSUE
AND MY MOTHER SAID I'M NOT GOING
TO JOIN IF THEY CAN'T JOIN.
SO MARY McLEOD BETHUNE CAME
DOWN AND BROKE THAT UP.
>> LEE BELIEVES IT'S CRITICAL TO
TELL THE HISTORY OF
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN IN THE
U.S.
>> YOU LOOK AT FANNY LUHAMER AND
SOJOURNER TRUTH, IDA B WELLS AND
DOROTHY HEIGHTS AND SHIRLEY
CHISOLM AND ALL THE WOMEN WHO
CAME BEFORE US.
WHAT THEY DID JUST TO PAVE THE
WAY.
THEY STRUGGLE AND I KNEW MANY OF
THEM.
AND THEY HAD A HARD TIME, BUT
THEY DIDN'T LOOK BACK, AND SHE
KEPT GOING.
AND I THINK THE INSPIRATION THAT
I GET FROM THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE
ME AND THE GRATITUDE I HAVE FOR
THEM KEEPS ME HUMBLE IN ONE
RESPECT, BECAUSE AS HARD AS IT'S
BEEN FOR MYSELF, I MEAN, IN NO
WAY DID I EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY
EXPERIENCED.
>> LEE SAYS THIS HISTORY IS
EMPOWERING FOR YOUNG
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN.
SHE SHARES AT HIS WITH FRESHMAN
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO CALL HER
THEIR BIG SISTER SUCH AS IONA
PRESLEY OF MASSACHUSETTS.
>> I WAS SHOWING IONA PRESLEY A
PHOTO OF MYSELF AND THE
HONORABLE SHIRLEY CHISOLM IN THE
EARLY NINETIES WHEN SHIRLEY
CHISOLM CAME OUT TO HELP ME IN
MY FIRST ELECTION FOR THE
ASSEMBLY.
IONA IS SO PROUD AND HAPPY THAT
SHE HAS SHIRLEY CHISOLM'S OFFICE
I HAD A CHANCE TO SHARE THAT
WITH I, ON NA TO LET HER KNOW
THAT I KNOW WHAT SHE FEELS AND
HOW SHE'S FEELING AND THE
INVASION THAT SHE HAS RECEIVED
FROM JUST BEING IN SHIRLEY
CHISOLM'S OFFICE.
>> SO PATRICE, THE WOMEN, THE
BLACK WOMEN YOU KNOW WHO ARE
INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND MAKING
HISTORY, ARE THEY GETTING ENOUGH
NATIONAL ATTENTION, DO YOU THINK
>> I THINK SO.
I MEAN, MY HERO, ONE OF THEM, IS
DOCTOR CONDOLEZZA RICE AND
EVERYBODY WANTS HER TO RUN FOR
PRESIDENT EVERY ELECTION CYCLE.
AND SO I THINK THE POINT MADE
THAT WE SHOULDN'T JUST HAVE ONE
MONTH DEAD I COULD I HAD TO
LEARNING ABOUT OUR BLACK SHEROS
OR BLACK HEROS IN GENERAL.
IT SHOULD BE WOVEN THROUGHOUT
TEACHING AND CIVICS AND U.S.
HISTORY.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT.
>> ISN'T THE PURPOSE OF BLACK
HISTORY TO GET IT WRITTEN, TO
BLACK HISTORY MONTH, I MEAN, TO
REMIND PEOPLE TO USE A PERIOD IN
TIME EVERY YEAR TO REMIND PEOPLE
AND TO HOPE ONE DAY THAT THE
BARBARA LEES.
WORLD ARE WRITTEN AND THE
CONGRESSWOMAN NORTONS ARE
WRITTEN INTO HISTORY, AS WOMEN
THEY SHOULD BE IT >> I
DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE NEED
FOR THE MONTH AND I AGREE WITH
THE MONTH.
I CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHT PEOPLE
LIKE SARA BOONE, WHO WAS AN I
KNOW VENTER IN THE EARLY 1900S.
SHE CREATE THE IRONING BOARD AND
A LOT OF HOUSEHOLD ITEMS.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE
FOLKS.
>> OR THE WOMEN WHO CODED.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THERE YOU GO.
EXACTLY.
THE WOMEN WHO SENT THE FIRST
SPACESHIP, U.S. SHIP INTO SPACE.
THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN AND BE
WEAVE HE KNOW INTO OUR U.S.
CIVICS HISTORY.
>> I'M GLAD THAT YOU FEATURED
BLACK HISTORY MONTH WOMEN.
BY THE WAY, THE GROWTH IN WOMEN
IN THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK
CAUCUS, AND BOTH OF THESE WOMEN
HAD BEEN CHAIRS OF OUR CAUCUS.
THE GROWTH OF WOMEN AMONG
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN -- SORRY,
AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS SAYS
EVERYTHING ABOUT HOW
AFRICAN-AMERICANS PERCEIVE
LEADERS AND LEADERSHIP.
AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE ALWAYS
BEEN ON THE FOR FRONT OF
UNDERSTANDING WHAT WOMEN CAN DO
AND THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER
OF WOMEN, BLACK WOMEN WHO
REPRESENT DISTRICTS IS A
CONTINUATION OF THAT FAITH IN
WHAT WOMEN CAN DO.
>> DO YOU THINK WOMEN, BLACK
WOMEN, CONSERVATIVE BLACK WOMEN
HAVE GOTTEN ENOUGH CREDIT AND
ATTENTION IN THE HISTORY BOOKS?
>> I THINK MORE ATTENTION COULD
BE GIVEN THERE.
I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT K PULSE
JAMES AND TAKING THE HELMET AT
THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION AND HER
POSITION THERE IS -- IT
RESONATES BACK OUT TO ALL OF
AMERICA IN TERMS OF AN IMAGE OF
A PERSON WHO CAN LEAD, A PERSON
WITH, YOU KNOW, A STELLAR
BACKGROUND ACROSS MULTIPLE
SECTORS WHOSE DYNAMIC AND WHO
HAS HAD AN IMPACT.
SO AS YOU SAID, WE'RE AT A POINT NOW IN HISTORY WHERE THESE
THINGS ARE BEING WOVEN IN, MORE
INTO THE DAILY NEWS CYCLE AND
JUST THE DAY-TO-DAY CONVERSATION
ABOUT WHO'S DOING WHAT.
I JUST SAY WE NEED MORE WOMEN.
THOSE WHO WRITE HISTORY ARE THE
WINNERS, AND WE'VE GOT TO WIN
MORE ELECTIONS.
>> WELL, BUT GIVEN HOW LONG -- I
MEAN, SHIRLEY CHISOLM RUNNING
FOR PRESIDENT WAS MORE THAN 50
YEARS AGO NOW.
HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE
UNTIL HER ACHIEVEMENTS ARE
WRITTEN IN THROUGH ALL OF THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY BOOKS?
>> RIGHT.
WHOLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
BEAUTIFUL --
>> SORRY, WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.
THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION.
PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND
VISIT OUR WEBSITE,
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WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK, TO
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>> AND THE
CHARLES A. FRUEAUFF FOUNDATION.
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