Thomas Daschle: “Every year since 1926, Americans have set aside time in February to recognize and celebrate black history. We owe this…”

“Every year since 1926, Americans have set aside time in February to recognize and celebrate black history. We owe this celebration of Black History Month to Carter G. Woodson, a brilliant and determined son of former slaves, who made it his mission to write African Americans into America's history books. Black History Month actually started out as Black History Week. Dr. Woodson chose the second week in February because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced African American history: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Dr. Woodson said: We should emphasize not Negro history, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but a history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice. On February 25--134 years ago today--visitors in the Senate galleries burst into applause as Senator Revels became the first African American ever to serve in the Senate.”