Joe Baca: “in honor of African American History Month this February, I would like to join my colleagues in recognizing the…”

“in honor of African American History Month this February, I would like to join my colleagues in recognizing the outstanding contributions of African Americans in history like those of Dearfield, Colorado. These remarkable pioneers greatly contributed to the settling and shaping of the American West. For example, in California, we have a remarkable African-American pioneer, Alvin Coffey, who braved the journey across country not once but twice while enslaved. After his final voyage, he was able to save money to buy his freedom and settle in California. He became very successful. In the final years of his life, he gave his entire income to charity. In honor of this month-long celebration of achievement and history of African Americans, we must remember the continuing struggle that many people in this country face in the search for freedom, equality and full representation as guaranteed by our Constitution.”