Rep. Hank Johnson's statement on celebrating Black History Month

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Originally established by African-American author and scholar Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926, Black History Month is now celebrated every year in February and has come to symbolize the greatness of a people and their invaluable contributions to America:

“Black History Month is a chance for everyone to study and learn about the role African-Americans played in our history and contemplate their contributions to our future. Black history is American history – you can’t have one without the other.

I celebrate the past accomplishments of iconic historical figures such as Frederick Douglass, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, W.E.B. DuBois, Shirley Chisholm and Thurgood Marshall.

But I also respect – beyond measure – people like my colleagues Rep. John Lewis, Rep. James Clyburn, Rep. John Conyers, Rep. Charles Rangel and Rep. Barbara Lee who are even now, along with President Obama, working to deliver on the promise of civil rights, equality, and justice so that everyone has an equal and fair shot at success and the American Dream. “

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