---
title: SR 845. Obama, President Barack; commend and condemn racist attacks and rhetoric directed toward him
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sr845
cite_as: SR 845, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr845
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr845.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr845/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73553
date: 2026-02-25
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr846.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr845.md?full=1
bill_number: SR 845
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-02-24
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
  - Randal Mangham
  - Kenya Wicks
  - RaShaun Kemp
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR845/2025
upstream_id: 2123517
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - Black History Month
  - Barack Obama
  - racism
  - Georgia Senate resolution
---

# SR 845. Obama, President Barack; commend and condemn racist attacks and rhetoric directed toward him

## Text

Senate Resolution 845
By: Senators Mangham of the 55th, Wicks of the 34th and Kemp of the 38th
A RESOLUTION
Commending and honoring former President Barack Obama during Black History Month and
condemning racist attacks and rhetoric directed toward him, including the Obamas'
caricaturization as monkeys; 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, including the caricaturization of the
Obama family as monkeys, 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.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia Senate resolution honors former President Barack Obama during Black History Month and condemns racist rhetoric directed at him, including a 2026 video depicting the Obama family as monkeys.

### Plain-language summary

This is a resolution, not a law, so it does not change any Georgia statute. It uses the Senate's voice to commend Barack Obama's life and presidency during Black History Month, citing his biography, his time in the Illinois and United States Senates, his election as the first Black President in 2008, his Nobel Peace Prize, and policy achievements the resolution attributes to his presidency.
The resolution also condemns racist attacks against Obama, including the birther movement and a 2026 video posted by the sitting President that the text says depicted the Obama family as monkeys. The Senate resolves to recognize Obama's legacy, condemn racist rhetoric and conduct from any quarter including the President of the United States, and directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.

### What it does

- Formally commends and honors former President Barack Obama's life, career, and presidency during Black History Month.
- States the Senate's condemnation of racist rhetoric and conduct directed at Obama, including a described 2026 video depicting the Obama family as monkeys.
- Affirms the Senate's commitment to principles of equality, justice, and respect without creating any new legal requirement.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies of the resolution available to the public and press.

### Who it affects

This resolution primarily affects the Georgia Senate itself as a formal statement of its views. It does not impose obligations on residents, businesses, or state agencies, though it references former President Barack Obama and the sitting President of the United States.

### Why it matters

Because this is a resolution rather than a bill, it carries no legal force and changes no Georgia law. Its significance is symbolic: it places the Georgia Senate on record honoring Obama and condemning specific racist rhetoric, which will be publicly distributed under the resolution's own directive.

### Key provisions

- The whereas clauses recount Obama's biography, education, Illinois and U.S. Senate service, 2008 election, presidency, and 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
- The whereas clauses describe recurring racist attacks against Obama, including the birther movement and a 2026 video depicting the Obama family as monkeys.
- The first resolving clause has the Senate recognize and celebrate Obama's life, legacy, and service during Black History Month.
- The second resolving clause condemns racist rhetoric and conduct from any quarter, including from the President of the United States.
- The final resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-02-24)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2026-02-25)
- Sponsors: Randal Mangham, Kenya Wicks, RaShaun Kemp
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73553

> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr845.md?full=1