FORT RUCKER, Ala. (February 5, 2015) -- A month-long celebration of unity kicked off Jan. 30 at the Fort Rucker Post Exchange with food, fashion, music and dance in honor of African-American History Month.
"Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievement and a time for recognizing the central role played by African Americans in U.S. history," said Sgt. 1st Class Jason Garcia, 1st Aviation Brigade equal opportunity adviser, said.
The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the 15th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States, according to Garcia.
"Since then, the contributions of African Americans to music, art, science, business and literature, to name a few, have been significant to our American society and have been recognized around the globe," he said. "Credit for the awareness of the true place of African Americans in history can, in large part, be attributed to one man. In 1915, Carter G. Woodson established the Association for the Study of [African American] Life and History. Woodson wanted to change the perception of African Americans and he wanted to recognize their contributions to American society."
According to Garcia, the month of February was designated to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Since 1976, every U.S. President has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.
Command Sgt. Maj. Morris Anderson, 1st Bn., 11th Avn. Regt. command sergeant major, served as the event's keynote speaker and stressed the importance of Black History Month to people of all walks of life.
"February is a unique month," he said. "It is a month where millions of fans prepare to watch the Super Bowl. It is also a month where we express our love for one another on Valentine's Day by passing out gifts, cards, chocolates and roses. But what I want you all to focus on is that February is the month we celebrate Black History.
"It is a time where commemorate the lives of blacks who continue to have a positive and significant impact on society for over a century," he added. "The theme this year is 'A Century of Black Life, History, and Culture.' It seeks to chronicle the critical contributions by African Americans to art, literature, sports and pop culture. When you think of doo wop, rock and roll, hip hop -- they can all trace their roots to African-American influences. Legendary sports figures, artists, musicians, actors and actresses have undeniably contributed to American culture and their influence continues to spread worldwide."
According to Anderson, Black History Month serves as a remembrance of accomplishments and a chance to pass on the lessons and stories of the past.
"We celebrate Black History Month because it helps us be better stewards of the privileges we've gained," he said. "If we don't tell the old stories to the next generation, then we ourselves will forget them. Explain the significance of Black History Month to your children, who have never learned of such events and the men and women who took part in them. We take for granted the rights that many people before us sweated, bled, and died to secure. Apart from the awareness of the past, we can never appreciate the blessings we enjoy in the present. We celebrate Black History Month because it provides an opportunity to highlight the best of Black History.
"Because we live in a society where every person, individually, is striving to achieve the American dream -- we are focusing so much on our future that we are forgetting our past," Anderson added. "As a community, we must find ways to preserve our history so we can keep the hopes and dreams of those before us alive and relevant today. Let's continue to keep Black History Month relevant by supporting events like this."
Community efforts, such as the events scheduled throughout the month on post, serve as a vessel for communicating the importance of the past into future generations of leaders and innovators, he said.
"Black History Month inspires us to seek out and lift up the best in African American accomplishments," Anderson said. "We celebrate Black History Month because it creates awareness for all people. We celebrate Black History Month to remind us all that Black History is our history, which is American history. We as a community should not overlook Black History Month because Black History -- just like Latino History, Asian History, European History, and Native American History -- belongs to all of us."
The event also featured authentic soul food for attendees, a musical performance from Fort Rucker Primary School first grade students, a fashion show featuring authentic African American attire, a vocal solo soul performance and a recitation of the poem "Let My People Go" by James Weldon Johnson.
According to Garcia, a group of about 20 volunteers gathered Saturday at the George W. Carver Interpretive Center in Dothan to complete the first-ever community service project in celebration of Black History Month. The volunteers polished and shined the walls and floors of the museum to military standards, and completed other assorted tasks to prepare the facility for upcoming Black History Month events.
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