Washington, D.C. - As we celebrate Black History Month it is fitting that we pause to reflect on and appreciate the historical accomplishments of African Americans. This commemoration began in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a noted black scientist, as a week to bring attention to African Americans' contributions to the growth and progress of this nation. Today, the study of Black History now is a month-long focus and celebration.
A full appreciation of the celebration of Black History Month requires a review and a reassessment of the civil rights movement and the progress we have made as nation since that time.
Last year I had the honor of taking a trip to Alabama with one of the heroes of the civil rights movement, Congressman John Lewis of Georgia. We visited many sites that were stark reminders of the struggles and sacrifices that were made just four decades ago, including the bus route in Montgomery where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham where four young black girls were killed by a bomb. There were also signs of the great progress our country has made as a result of the brave efforts of valiant civil rights leaders and the civil rights movement. In Selma, on the notorious Edmund Pettus Bridge, where John Lewis and civil rights marchers had been beaten bloody by Sheriff Jim Clark and the Alabama State troopers in 1965, African American policemen stopped traffic to allow hundreds of us to retrace the steps those marchers had taken across that bridge thirty-eight years earlier.
My thirteen year old daughter, Anna, accompanied me on this journey. What we saw and learned had a profound impact on both of us, but especially on Anna who had been less aware of the painful struggle for civil rights. It is critical that young students growing up today learn about the cruel realities endured by African Americans before the civil rights movement. This knowledge is important not only as a matter of history, but also because of its relevance now and into the future. Despite the enormous progress we have made, we must continue to work to stamp out racial discrimination whenever it raises its ugly head. Today, we still face large gaps in opportunities, especially in the area of education.
Black History Month is a time to celebrate our nation’s diversity. We must rededicate ourselves to achieving a more perfect union and ensuring that all Americans, regardless of their background, be given an equal opportunity to enjoy the fruits of liberty and pursue the American dream. This is a time to reflect on the work that still needs to be done toward establishing respect for all people’s human rights and eliminating racial discrimination and ethnic bigotry.
For more information on Black history log onto
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/african/intro.html