Congressman Cohen Honors Black History Month, Celebrates Memphis’ Legacy and Future

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today released the following statement in recognition of Black History Month.

"Black History Month is a time to honor the courage, creativity, contributions, and resilience of Black Americans - and to recognize that Black history is American history. In Memphis, that legacy lives not only in the chapters we read in books, but in the leaders and neighbors who built a more just community and pushed our country closer to its ideals.

"This month, we remember Martin Luther King Jr. and his enduring call for equality and dignity. I also remember with gratitude three civil rights heroes I had the honor to serve alongside in Congress - John Lewis, who served as a spiritual advisor to me; John Conyers, who was my Judiciary mentor; and Elijah Cummings, whose example as a role model still inspires me.

"I also think of the Memphis civil rights and public-service giants I was privileged to know and serve with - Vasco Smith and his wife Maxine Smith, Walter Bailey Jr., Minerva Johnican, Russell Sugarmon, and Jesse Turner Sr. They helped shape Memphis' conscience and its future, and they remind us of what leadership looks like when it's rooted in service.

"Throughout my career, I've tried to honor that legacy not just with words, but with work - from my years in the Tennessee State Senate, where I served as Vice Chair for many years and floor seat mate to the legendary Senator Avon Williams, who I learned much from, to my time in Congress, where the House passed my resolution in 2008 making Congress' first apology for slavery and racial segregation. I have continued pushing ever since to preserve the people and places that tell the story of the civil rights movement.

"Black History Month is a call to keep going. We must protect voting rights, confront discrimination, and keep pushing for equal justice and equal opportunity. I'm proud to represent Memphis and Tennessee's Ninth District, and I will keep working to honor this legacy by preserving the history that shaped us and fighting for a future where every family can thrive."

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