SR 729: Obama, Former President Barack; commend and condemning racist attacks and rhetoric directed toward him

Senate Resolution 729

By: Senators Jones II of the 22nd, Jackson of the 41st, Parent of the 44th, Orrock of the 36th, Merritt of the 9th and others

A RESOLUTION

Commending and honoring former President Barack Obama during Black History Month and condemning racist attacks and rhetoric directed toward him; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, Barack Hussein Obama was born in the United States on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and from an early age experienced a life shaped by travel, curiosity, and engagement with cultures across the United States and the world, including time spent in the Midwest and Indonesia; and

WHEREAS, Barack Obama graduated from Columbia University with a degree in International Relations, during which time he actively protested the great historical evil of apartheid in South Africa; and

WHEREAS, in 1988, Barack Obama enrolled at Harvard Law School, where he made history as the first Black editor of the Harvard Law Review, graduating magna cum laude in 1991 and beginning a distinguished career as a constitutional law scholar and professor; and

WHEREAS, Obama achieved international literary acclaim with his memoir Dreams From My Father, regarded by some as the finest book ever written by a President and outselling every other President's book offerings; and

WHEREAS, from 1997 to 2004, Barack Obama served the people of Illinois as a member of the Illinois State Senate before his election to the United States Senate in 2004, where his leadership and oratory ignited a hope based movement of people working together to continue our nation's progress; and

WHEREAS, in 2008, Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States, becoming the first Black President in American history, winning an electoral landslide unparalleled in the 21st century, and drawing nearly 2 million people to the Mall for the largest Inaugural ever; and

WHEREAS, his two-term presidency was marked by recovery from the Great Recession, a historic rescue of the American auto industry, the most significant expansion of access to health care in generations, and the end of the war in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, in 2009, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his contributions to diplomacy and international cooperation; and

WHEREAS, throughout his public life, presidency, and post-presidency, Obama endured persistent and often vicious racist attacks, including the insidious "birther" movement, which sought to delegitimize his presidency with ugly racism; and

WHEREAS, in 2026, during Black History Month, the sitting President of the United States posted a video containing offensive and racist tropes and refused to issue an apology, drawing widespread condemnation, including rebukes from United States Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina who described the video as "the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House"; and

WHEREAS, such rhetoric stands in direct opposition to the values of equality, dignity, and mutual respect that Black History Month exists to honor and uplift; and

WHEREAS, Barack Obama remains a figure of extraordinary historical importance whose life and presidency expanded the boundaries of possibility for millions of Americans and inspired generations at home and abroad.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize and celebrate the extraordinary life, legacy, and service of former President Barack Obama during Black History Month.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body condemn racist rhetoric and conduct from any quarter, including that emanating from the President of the United States, and affirm its commitment to the principles of equality, justice, and respect. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press.