Freedom Calendar 12/16/06 - 12/23/06

December 16, 2003, President George W. Bush signs law creating National Museum of African American History and Culture.

December 17, 2000, Republican Alberto Gonzales named as first Hispanic to serve as White House Counsel by President George W. Bush.

December 18, 1852, Birth of Republican U.S. Rep. George White (R-NC), last former slave to serve in Congress; authored bill to make lynching a federal crime.

December 19, 1820, Birth of Republican activist Mary Livermore, organizer of Women’s Suffrage Convention in 1868.

December 20, 2000, California Republican Ann Veneman nominated as first woman to be U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

December 21, 1981, President Ronald Reagan establishes Task Force on Legal Equality for Women.

December 22, 1870, African-American Republican Jefferson Long becomes U.S. Representative from Georgia.

December 23, 1815, Civil rights activist and Republican diplomat Henry Garnet born into slavery in Maryland; first African-American to address U.S. Senate (1865).

“The first Republican I knew was my father and he is still the Republican I most admire. He joined our party because the Democrats inJim Crow Alabama of 1952 would not register him to vote. The Republicans did. My father has never forgotten that day, and neither have I."

Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State

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