{"database": "openregs", "table": "congressional_record", "rows": [["CREC-2026-02-20-pt1-PgE146", "2026-02-20", 119, 2, null, null, "CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH", "HOUSE", "EXTENSIONS", "CELEBRATING", "E146", "E146", "[{\"name\": \"Teresa Leger Fernandez\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}]", null, "172 Cong. Rec. E146", "Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 34 (Friday, February 20, 2026)\n\n[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 34 (Friday, February 20, 2026)]\n[Extensions of Remarks]\n[Page E146]\nFrom the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]\n\n                    CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH\n\n                                 ______\n\n                      HON. TERESA LEGER FERNANDEZ\n\n                             of new mexico\n\n                    in the house of representatives\n\n                       Friday, February 20, 2026\n\n  Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, Black History is New Mexico\nHistory. From Estevanico, an enslaved man who was the first, that we\nknow of, non-Indigenous person to step foot in New Mexico after an\nadventure through the Americas that should be legend, to the Buffalo\nSoldiers who stood watch across this territory, and to the families who\nbuilt Blackdom out of dust and determination.\n  While the Black community in New Mexico may be small in number, it\nhas never been small in impact. Our state's story cannot be told\nwithout them.\n  Before statehood, before the railroads, and before the border crossed\nus, Black history here has been a story of people who kept showing up.\nThey showed up when there were only 22 Black residents counted in the\nterritory. They showed up when hotels were segregated and yearbooks\nplaced Black students in the back pages. They showed up when banks\nwould not lend and schools would not welcome them. Now, we are all\nshowing up together.\n  There are forces right now that want to erase this history, to\nwhitewash it and ban it from schools, and to call conversations about\nrace ``divisive.'' They have even posted racist videos attacking the\nBlack excellence of a former President and First Lady. They attack\nBlack culture, immigrant culture, and Native culture--as if the\nrichness of our heritage is something to be feared.\n  It may feel like they are winning. But in New Mexico, we know our\ncultures are not threats. They are treasures. We will not stand by\nwhile anyone tries to diminish them. As John Lewis reminded us: ``The\nvote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful\nnonviolent tool we have in a democratic society.'' He also reminded us\nthat ``democracy is not a state. It is an act.''\n  We believe democracy works best when everyone participates. We come\nfrom builders. They built culture. Culture is power. Culture is how\npeople survive what was meant to break them. Black culture will survive\nthis.\n  We will organize. When they try to intimidate voters, we will\nmobilize. When they try to erase history, we will teach it louder. When\nthey try to tear down our cultures, we will build them up.\n\n                          ____________________"]], "columns": ["granule_id", "date", "congress", "session", "volume", "issue", "title", "chamber", "granule_class", "sub_granule_class", "page_start", "page_end", "speakers", "bills", "citation", "full_text"], "primary_keys": ["granule_id"], "primary_key_values": ["CREC-2026-02-20-pt1-PgE146"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 20.52977681159973, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}