Assemblywoman Clark: Black History Month Highlights the Impact of African-Americans on Our Country’s Rich History

February 3, 2012

For over 35 years, February has been synonymous with Black history month. It is the time to remember and admire the brave men and women who overcame so much to help make this country the great place it is today. The idea of setting aside a period of time to focus on black history dates back to 1926, when African American historian Carter G. Woodson inaugurated Negro History Week.

During Black History Month, we recognize the courage and tenacity of so many hard-working Americans whose legacies are woven into the fabric of our Nation. Forward-thinking leaders such as Sojourner Truth, Malcolm X, Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., all have helped ensure that African-Americans today have the opportunity to make an impact on today’s world. We are heirs to their extraordinary progress. Legalized racial prejudice is no longer the steepest barrier to opportunity for most African Americans, yet substantial obstacles remain in the remnants of past discrimination. Structural inequalities – from disparities in education and health care to the vicious cycle of poverty – still pose enormous hurdles for black communities across America.

Black History month is often used as a time to reflect on past accomplishments, it is often about a reflection of the past, but rarely a discussion of the present or a projection of the future. Black History Month is also an opportunity to reflect on the impact that African Americans are making today. Overcoming today's challenges will require the same dedication and sense of urgency that enabled past generations of African Americans to rise above the injustices of their time.

Though we inherit the extraordinary progress won by the tears and toil of our fore parents, we know barriers still remain on the road to equal opportunity. Knowledge is our strongest tool against injustice, and it is our responsibility to empower every child in America with a world-class education from cradle to career. We must continue to build on our Nation's foundation of freedom and ensure equal opportunity, economic security, and civil rights for all Americans. After a historic recession has devastated many American families, and particularly African Americans, we must continue to create jobs, support our middle class, and strengthen pathways for families to climb out of poverty.

Strength of character, resilience, perseverance, fortitude, self-esteem – these are recurring themes stressed during Black History Month, but they apply 365-days a year irrespective of race. Black History is American history.

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