Posts by Rosa Colquitt
The March on Washington
Sixty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” Celebrated as one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century, and carried live by television across the nation, the speech continues to inspire Democrats. Democratic Party of Oregon Chair Rosa Colquitt, PhD, reflects on the meaning of the March and speech today.
Read More >Oregon Celebrates Juneteenth 2023
Over the many years of celebrating Juneteenth, widely known as “Freedom Day,” we can scarcely imagine the depths of the emotions and the fear of the unknown for the newly freed Black men, women and children of Texas. Today, as Oregon prepares to celebrate Juneteenth 2023, Dr. Rosa Colquitt PhD, State Party Chair of the Democratic Party of Oregon, shares her amazement about June 17, 2021, the day President Joe Biden signed a bill into law establishing June 19th as Juneteenth National Independence Day.
Read More >Service is Celebrating: The MLK Day of Service
January 16, 2023 marks the 28th anniversary of the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Observed annually on the third Monday in January as “a day on, not a day off,” this federally recognized holiday encourages all Americans to honor Dr. King through service to one another and to their communities.
Read More >Our Democracy Is Only as Strong as our Vote
The right to vote is extraordinarily unique. Beloved Congressman John Lewis left us with these unforgettable, inspiring words to last for a lifetime: “The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society and we must use it.” Indeed, all of us must exercise our right to vote on…
Read More >“Freedom”: Remembering the First Juneteenth
by Rosa Colquitt, PhD, Democratic Party of Oregon Vice Chair, DPO Black Caucus Chair On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden said these words on the occasion of signing legislation into law establishing June 19th as Juneteenth National Independence Day: “I have to say to you, I’ve only been president for several months, but I think…
Read More >Why I Volunteer
By Dr. Rosa Colquitt,PhD, Vice Chair of the Democratic Party of Oregon Over the past decade I have used a singular quote from civil rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as the tag line for all email communications and my personal Facebook header. Fully written into the depths of my heart are his inspiring…
Read More >Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom
A message from Rosa Colquitt, PhD, Chair, Democratic Party of Oregon Black Caucus Juneteenth, (“June” plus “nineteenth”) sometimes called “Jubilee,” indicating the year of freedom from enslavement, or even more simply “Freedom Day,” is indeed a remarkable story commemorating the abolition of slavery in the United States. It was June 19, 1865 when Union General…
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