Posted: | February 7, 2017 12:42 PM |
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From: | Senator Sharif Street |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Resolution designating the month of February 2017 as "Black History Month" in Pennsylvania |
On Wednesday, February 8, 2017, I will introduce a resolution designating the month of February 2017 as "Black History Month" in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Determined to promote the contributions of African Americans to American History, Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson, the son of a slave and an ardent Republican, sponsored a national "Negro History Week" in 1926 during the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Over the years to come, Negro History Week had evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses across the city. Then in 1976, Gerald Ford became the first United State President to recognize Black History Month, urging the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” During the month of February, it is important that we continue to acknowledge the significant contributions African Americans made to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and throughout society. For more information regarding this resolution, please contact Micah Mahjoubian at mmahjoubian@pasenate.com. |
Introduced as SR26