African American History Month Observance 2007

1. AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH IS CELEBRATED 
EACH FEBRUARY TO RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE THE RICH HERITAGE, 
ACHIEVEMENTS, AND DIVERSITY THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS BRING TO OUR 
SOCIETY. DR. CARTER G. WOODSON, THE FOUNDER OF THE ASSOCIATION 
FOR THE STUDY OF AFRO-AMERICAN LIFE AND HISTORY, ESTABLISHED THE 
"NEGRO HISTORY WEEK" IN 1926 AS A MECHANISM FOR EXPLORING THE 
CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS TO SOCIETY. DR. WOODSON CHOSE 
THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY TO CORRESPOND WITH THE RESPECTIVE BIRTHDAYS 
OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS, A FORMER SLAVE AND NOTED ABOLITIONIST, AND 
ABRAHAM LINCOLN WHO SIGNED THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. DURING 
AMERICA'S BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION IN 1976, THE WEEK LONG 
OBSERVANCE WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE ENTIRE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 
AND WAS CALLED "BLACK HISTORY MONTH" TO PROVIDE MORE TIME FOR 
PROGRAMS, OBSERVANCES AND CELEBRATIONS.
 2. THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THEME IS "FROM SLAVERY TO
 FREEDOM: THE STORY OF AFRICANS IN THE AMERICAS". DURING THE AMERICAN
 REVOLUTION, BLACKS SERVED IN SMALL NUMBERS IN BOTH THE CONTINENTAL AND
 STATE NAVIES AND ARMIES. ACCORDING TO SURVIVING MUSTER AND PAYROLLS,
 THERE WERE AT LEAST THREE BLACKS IN THE RANKS OF THE CONTINENTAL MARINES
 AND TEN OTHERS WHO SERVED AS MARINES ON SHIPS OF THE CONNECTICUT,
 MASSACHUSETTS, AND PENNSYLVANIA NAVIES.
 3. THE FIRST RECORDED BLACK MARINE IN THE CONTINENTAL SERVICE WAS JOHN
 MARTIN OR "KETO," A SLAVE WHO WAS RECRUITED WITHOUT HIS MASTERS
 KNOWLEDGE OR PERMISSION IN APRIL 1776. THE FEW BLACK MEN WHO HAVE BEEN
 IDENTIFIED AS MARINES FROM SURVIVING REVOLUTIONARY WAR ROSTERS WERE
 PIONEERS AND NOT FOLLOWED BY OTHERS OF THEIR RACE UNTIL 1 JUNE 1942.
 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MONTFORD POINT, WHICH AT THAT TIME WAS THE THIRD
 BOOT CAMP OF THE MARINE CORPS, WAS CREATED SOLELY FOR SEGREGATED
 TRAINING OF THE NEGRO MARINES.
 4. THROUGHOUT HISTORY, AFRICAN AMERICAN MARINES HAVE ESTABLISHED AN
 EXEMPLARY RECORD OF SERVICE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE VITAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO
 THE NATION AND THE CORPS. FROM THE CONTINENTAL SERVICE TO THE MEN AND
 WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR CORPS TODAY, AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE CONTINUALLY
 DISPLAYED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF LOYALTY, PROFESSIONALISM AND ESPRIT DE
 CORPS, ADDING IMMENSELY TO THE LEGACY OF OUR CORPS.
 5. IN KEEPING WITH DR. WOODSON'S SPIRIT OF EXPLORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS
 OF AFRICAN AMERICANS TO SOCIETY, THESE FACTS ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS CAN
 BE FOUND IN THE MARINE CORPS' OWN HISTORY AND MUSEUMS DIVISION
 PUBLICATION, "BLACKS IN THE MARINE CORPS". FROM PRIVATES TO GENERALS,
 THE LEGACY OF OUR CORPS WILL CONTINUE TO BE SHAPED IN PART BY DEDICATED
 AFRICAN AMERICANS WHOSE RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE, EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP,
 AND PROFESSIONALISM SERVE AS WORTHY EXAMPLES FOR ALL TO ADMIRE AND
 EMULATE.
 6. COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RECOGNIZE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF AFRICAN
 AMERICANS, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN. COMMANDERS ARE FURTHER ENCOURAGED TO
 CONDUCT PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN OBSERVANCE EVENTS BOTH ON
 BASE AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. COMMANDERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO DEVELOP 
LOCAL THEMES FOR USE AT THEIR COMMANDS.