R 042054Z FEB 10

ALCOAST 067/10
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: 2010 NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH
1. NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH IS OBSERVED ANNUALLY IN
FEBRUARY. THE HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IS UNIQUE AND RICH, AND
ONE THAT HAS HELPED TO DEFINE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN.  AS
WE CELEBRATE NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, WE RECOGNIZE
THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS TO OUR COUNTRY AND
REINFORCE OUR COMMITMENT TO BE A NATION OF OPPORTUNITY AND HOPE FOR
EVERY CITIZEN.  THE THEME FOR THIS YEARS OBSERVANCE IS "THE HISTORY
OF BLACK ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT."
2. THE CELEBRATION AND STUDY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY BEGAN IN
1926 WHEN DR. CARTER G. WOODSON WAS THE MOVING FORCE TO CREATE AN
AWARENESS OF THE ROLE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS
THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY. DR. WOODSON CHOSE THE SECOND WEEK OF
FEBRUARY FOR THIS OBSERVANCE TO COINCIDE WITH THE BIRTHDAYS OF TWO
MEN WHO POSITIVELY IMPACTED THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION,
FREDERICK DOUGLAS AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN. FEBRUARY HAS MUCH MORE THAN
DOUGLAS AND LINCOLN TO MARK ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN AFRICAN AMERICAN
HISTORY. FOR EXAMPLE:
 A. FEBRUARY 3, 1870 - THE 15TH AMENDMENT OF THE U. S. CONSTITUTION
WAS PASSED, GRANTING AFRICAN AMERICANS THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
 B. FEBRUARY 25, 1870 - HIRAM R. REVELS, THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN
U. S. SENATOR, TOOK HIS OATH OF OFFICE.
 C. FEBRUARY 12, 1909 - AFTER A RIOT IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS,
EIGHT PROMINENT AMERICANS, SEVEN CAUCASIAN AND ONE AFRICAN AMERICAN
WILLIAM EDWARD BURGHARDT (W.E.B. DU BOIS), FOUNDED THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE (NAACP).
 D. FEBRUARY 10, 2007 -  BARACK OBAMA ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDACY FOR
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN FRONT OF THE OLD STATE CAPITOL
BUILDING IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.
3. IN THE COAST GUARD, AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE A PROUD HISTORY OF
DEFENDING PEACE AND LIBERTY AROUND THE GLOBE. CAPTAIN BOBBY C.
WILKS, WHO PASSED AWAY ON JULY 13, 2009,  WAS A SEA SERVICE PIONEER
AND AN INSPIRATION TO ALL GUARDIANS.   ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1977, HE WAS
PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN, BECOMING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO ACHIEVE
THIS RANK IN THE COAST GUARD. HIS LEGACY OF DEDICATION AND
PERSEVERANCE WILL LONG ENDURE.
4. AS WE CELEBRATE NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, WE
RECOGNIZE THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS TO OUR
COUNTRY AND REINFORCE OUR COMMITMENT TO BE A NATION OF OPPORTUNITY
AND HOPE FOR EVERY CITIZEN.
5. CG UNITS AND COMMANDS SHOULD TAKE TIME DURING FEBRUARY TO
RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS THAT AFRICAN
AMERICANS HAVE MADE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE TO OUR SERVICE, OUR
NATION, AND THE WORLD.
6. RELEASED BY THAD W. ALLEN, COMMANDANT, U.S. COAST GUARD
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.