RESOLUTION NO. 55
DESIGNATING FEBRUARY 2022 AS “AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH” IN ALBANY COUNTY
Introduced: 2/14/21
By Messrs. Clay, A. Joyce, Feeney, Beston, Bruschi, Ms. Chapman, Messrs. Cleary, Commisso, Ms. Cunningham, Messrs. Efekoro, Ethier, Fein, R. Joyce, Kuhn, Ms. Lekakis, Mr. Mayo, Mss. McLaughlin, Mclean Lane, Messrs. Miller, Peter, Ms. Plotsky, Messrs. Reidy, Reinhardt, Ricard, Simpson, Smith, Ms. Willingham, Messrs. Burgdorf, Collins, Domalewicz, Drake, Grimm, Ms. Lockart, Messrs. Mauriello, O’Brien, Perlee, Tunny, Ward and Ms. Whalen:
WHEREAS, This month Albany County will join citizens from around the nation to commemorate African American History Month and pay tribute to the determination and triumphs of African Americans throughout our Country’s history and the legacy of their experience, and
WHEREAS, Albany County, along with the nation, has selected “Black Health and Wellness.” as its theme for the 2022 observance of African-American History Month, and
WHEREAS, During the Jim Crow era "Whites Only" hospitals were commonplace throughout the South. Black medical facilities were often understaffed, underfunded, or non-existent, and
WHEREAS, As the COVID-19 pandemic has recently shown, a widespread disparity of access to quality healthcare negatively impacted outcomes for blacks and other minorities. For African-Americans, the root of the problem goes deep, and back centuries. Beginning with slavery and, later, a lack of economic opportunity, often put medical care out of reach for many African-Americans, and
WHEREAS, Rituals and incantations, harking back to its African roots, and often involved many plant-based curatives. These included garlic for high blood pressure, and aloe vera for skin injuries -- nature's answers to maintaining wellness that have since been validated by modern medicine, and
WHEREAS, The Affordable Care Act was eventually passed by the Obama administration that gave better access to medical care for Americans of all colors, and
WHEREAS, African-Americans, other minorities, and especially the poor continue to remain the most vulnerable, now, therefore be it,
RESOLVED, By this Honorable Body that February 2022 is hereby designated as African-American History Month in Albany County, and all citizens of Albany County are encouraged to reflect upon the history of “Black Health and Wellness”; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the County Legislature is directed to forward certified copies of this resolution to the appropriate County Officials.
Adopted by unanimous vote - 2/14/22