R 311632Z JAN 11

ALCOAST 028/11
COMDTNOTE 5350
SUBJ: 2011 NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH
1.  SHIPMATES, FEBRUARY 2011 MARKS THE 85TH ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH.  THIS YEARS THEME IS AFRICAN
AMERICANS AND THE CIVIL WAR.
2.  NEARLY 200,000 AFRICAN AMERICANS FOUGHT TO PRESERVE THE UNION AND
SECURE AN END TO SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES.  IN MANY CASES,
HOWEVER, THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS WERE NOT FEATURED IN OUR HISTORY BOOKS.
AS THIS YEAR MARKS THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVIL WAR, IT IS
APPROPRIATE TO LEARN ABOUT AND REFLECT UPON THE VALUE OF AFRICAN
AMERICANS CONTRIBUTIONS - BOTH IN THE CIVIL WAR, AND IN ALL OUR
NATIONS CONFLICTS.
3.  THROUGHOUT OUR SERVICES 220 YEAR HISTORY, AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE
SERVED IN THE COAST GUARD AND OUR MANY LEGACY AGENCIES WITH
DISTINCTION.  A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS IS THE
COAST GUARD HISTORIANS WEB SITE WHICH FEATURES ARTICLES AND ORAL
HISTORIES OF OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN SHIPMATES.  ONE OF MY FAVORITE
STORIES IS MY FRIEND, MY BROTHER, MY SHIPMATE, BY COAST GUARDSMAN
JAMES MOONEY. YOU CAN LINK TO THE WEB SITE HERE:
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HISTORY/MINORITIESINDEX.ASP
4. 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 AND OUR
NATION.
5. ADM BOB PAPP, COMMANDANT, SENDS.
6. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.