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Women's History Month

Floor Speech

By: Gabe Amo
By: Gabe Amo
Date: March 5, 2024
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. AMO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Women's History Month.

We cannot forget our history. Yet, over time, the contributions of Black women have been consistently overlooked and forgotten.

I want to do my part to correct that record.

Specifically, I will highlight two trailblazing Black women from Rhode Island.

First, I want to honor Christiana Bannister, a successful businesswoman, abolitionist, and philanthropist. Born in North Kingstown in the early 1800s, Christiana was a successful hair salon owner.

Christiana was a staunch abolitionist and used her wealth to support the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, a unit of Black soldiers during the Civil War.

Dedicated to improving the lives of Black women in her community, Christiana founded the Home for Aged Colored Women in Providence.

Decades later, Maria Lopes, another trailblazer, was the first Black woman elected to the Rhode Island State Legislature and she carried on Christiana's legacy of activism in Rhode Island.

Maria lived in the Valley View housing project in Providence and made a name for herself as a social activist when she successfully blocked the Mayor of Providence from turning the housing project into luxury apartments.

In 1973, Maria stormed the city council chambers with over 400 residents and supporters to prevent the sale of Valley View.

Thanks to Maria's advocacy, when Valley View was eventually sold, 25 percent of the units remained Section 8 housing.

In 1989, Lopes won a seat in the Rhode Island House of Representatives where she served for over a decade, championing affordable housing issues.

I certainly would not be standing here today as Rhode Island's first Black Member of Congress if it were not for the tireless work of Maria Lopes and Christiana Bannister.

Women's history extends beyond the confines of March. Women's history is happening every single day and is worth acknowledgement every day, as well.

We must continue to uplift the hidden figures in our history.

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