African American History Month Observance 2004

1. THE 78TH NATIONAL OBSERVANCE OF AFRICAN
AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN HISTORY IS CELEBRATED DURING THE
MONTH OF FEBRUARY. DR. CARTER G. WOODSON ESTABLISHED NEGRO HISTORY
WEEK IN 1926 AND THE WEEK WAS EXPANDED TO A MONTH IN 1976.
2. THIS YEAR'S THEME,"BROWN VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA,
KANSAS", COMMEMORATES THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SUPREME COURT
DECISION THAT SUBSEQUENTLY ENDED FEDERALLY SANCTIONED RACIAL
SEGREGATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. LINDA BROWN, AN AFRICAN AMERICAN
GIRL, ATTENDING FIFTH GRADE AT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN TOPEKA, KS,
WAS DENIED ADMISSION INTO A WHITE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE NAACP
SUPPORTED HER CASE, ALONG WITH SIMILAR ONES IN KANSAS, SOUTH
CAROLINA, VIRGINIA, AND DELAWARE. ALL FIVE CASES WERE ARGUED IN
THE SUPREME COURT TOGETHER IN DEC 1952 BY THURGOOD MARSHALL, WHO
THEN HEADED THE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND. THE
COURT'S UNANIMOUS DECISION HANDED DOWN ON 17 MAY 1954 DECLARED THAT
SEPARATE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES ARE INHERENTLY "UNEQUAL" AND, AS
SUCH, VIOLATE THE 14TH AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION,
WHICH GUARANTEES ALL CITIZENS "EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS".
3. PRIOR TO THIS DECISION, PRESIDENT TRUMAN SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDER
9981 WHICH DIRECTED THE RACIAL INTEGRATION OF THE ARMED FORCES.
THIS GAVE GREATER CREDENCE TO THE MILITARY OATH TO "SUPPORT AND
DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES" AND THEREBY
STRENGTHENED OUR MILITARY'S REPUTATION AS A POWERFUL FORCE OF
NATIONAL DEFENSE. THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AND SUPREME COURT DECISION
LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE DESEGREGATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OUR
SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.
4. COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN SOCIETY AND HISTORY TO
PROVIDE EQUAL ACCESS TO ALL OPPORTUNITIES REGARDLESS OF PHYSICAL
APPEARANCE. COMMANDERS ARE FURTHER ENCOURAGED TO CONDUCT PROGRAMS
AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN OBSERVANCE EVENTS BOTH ON BASE AND IN
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND ARE AUTHORIZED TO DEVELOP LOCAL THEMES FOR
USE AT THEIR COMMANDS.