Benjamin Gilman: “I rise to honor the many achievements of African-Americans this February 2002, Black History Month. The first Black…”

“I rise to honor the many achievements of African-Americans this February 2002, Black History Month. The first Black History Month took place in 1926, when Carter G. Woodson chose the second week in February, a week that includes the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, to honor the contributions of African-Americans. The rich history of African-Americans reflects the challenges our Nation has faced, the diversity of our people, and the bright future ahead. Throughout our history, African-Americans have bravely fought for the freedoms we hold dear. The first American to lose his life in the American Revolution was a free black man named Crispus Attucks and, posing as a double agent, a slave, James Armistead, a slave, received permission to enlist in the Army under French General Marquis de LaFayette, providing the Americans with crucial information about British naval support. During the 19th century, many African-Americans joined the abolitionist movement, fighting against the injustices of slavery. We remember the bravery of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth who stood for the principles of freedom and equality. The 20th century has also known many achievements of African-Americans. In New York a remarkable period of literary creativity in the 1920s and 1930s came to be known as the Harlem Renaissance. Among the notable writers of this era were Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and poet James Weldon Johnson.”