Fort Rucker hosts Black History Month events

By Nathan Pfau, Army Flier Staff WriterJanuary 26, 2012

Fort Rucker hosts Black History Month events
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT RUCKER, Ala. (Jan. 26, 2012) -- Fort Rucker will host events throughout the month of February to celebrate Black History Month, starting a kickoff event with food and fun at the Post Exchange Feb. 3.

The event will feature: free food sampling, traditional music and dancing, a Harriet Tubman monologue, door prizes for those that attend, and a meet-and-greet with an original Tuskegee Airman, retired Lt. Col. Herbert Carter, according to Sgt. 1st Class David Kintz, chief Equal Opportunity adviser.

The purpose of the event is to observe and celebrate Black History Month and bring awareness to the community about African-American culture, said the EO adviser.

"A lot of people misunderstand the observance of Black History Month and think that it is specifically for the one ethnicity or race, but that's not what we're trying to promote here," said the sergeant. "This [observance] is where we celebrate the ethnicity and culture of America and the people that brought that culture to us.

"[The celebration] is about diversity and learning about the people that you work with, work for, or work for you," said Kintz. "This gives people the opportunity to see the different upbringings and styles of life, while giving [Fort Rucker] the opportunity to share [African-American] culture with others."

The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is free to anyone that can enter the base, he said.

"Personally, I'm very excited to meet an actual Tuskegee Airman," said Kintz. "This is someone who went through the trial of having to prove himself in the duress of combat. He is an American hero and to get the opportunity to meet someone of that caliber is the most exciting part."

The kickoff event is just the beginning of the Black History Month celebrations throughout the month of February, he said.

The Black History 5k run will be held Feb. 4 on the corner of Shamrock and Fifth Avenue. The race begins at 9 a.m. and the winners will be awarded with trophies, ribbons and streamers, according to Kintz.

There will also be ethnic luncheons Feb. 15 from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at both dining facilities, which will be open to active duty personnel, Department of the Army civilians and Family members.

"This gives us the opportunity to take the celebration to a lot of the trainees that won't get a chance to go to the PX during the day," said the EO advisor. "They can go to the dining facility and get to see and taste a bit of African-American culture."

There will also be an essay contest that is open to all fifth and sixth graders throughout the community schools including Fort Rucker, Enterprise, Daleville and Ozark. The students must submit a 500-750-word essay with the topic "How have African-American women contributed to American culture."

"The [essay contest] is great because it's an opportunity for the schools to spread the education of different cultures outside of what is only shown in their textbooks," said Kintz.

The student with the winning essay will receive a coin from Maj. Gen. Anthony G. Crutchfield, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker commanding general, Col. James R. Macklin Jr., Air Traffic Services Command commander, and a framed and matted copy of their essay to place on display, he said. All essays are due by Feb. 24 to the installation EO office or to the school's designated official.

For more information about the events, call 255-3750.