R041753Z JAN 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 008/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/2011 NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH//
POC/R. P. TAYLOR/CAPT/CMC (MPE)/-/TEL: DSN 278-9371/TEL: COMM (703) 784-9371//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH ORIGINATED AS NEGRO HISTORY WEEK IN 1926 THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF HISTORIAN DR. CARTER G. WOODSON. DR. WOODSON, FOUNDER OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE AND HISTORY (ASALH), SOUGHT TO CREATE AN OBSERVANCE TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE HERITAGE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY AFRICAN AMERICANS TO AMERICAN SOCIETY. DR. WOODSON SELECTED THE SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY TO COMMEMORATE NEGRO HISTORY WEEK BECAUSE IT MARKED THE BIRTHDAYS OF TWO AMERICANS WHO GREATLY INFLUENCED THE LIVES AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS: FORMER PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND FORMER SLAVE AND ABOLITIONIST FREDERICK DOUGLAS.
2. THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH THEME IS "AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE CIVIL WAR." THIS YEAR'S THEME IS IN HONOR OF THE EFFORTS OF PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT TO DESTROY SLAVERY AND INAUGURATE UNIVERSAL FREEDOM IN THE UNITED STATES. IN 1861, THE UNITED STATES STOOD AT THE BRINK OF A CIVIL WAR, PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT, BOTH ENSLAVED AND FREE, UNDERSTOOD THAT THE WAR WOULD BRING ABOUT UNIVERSAL FREEDOM. NEARLY 209,145 JOINED THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC AND TOOK UP ARMS TO DESTROY THE CONFEDERACY. THEY SERVED AS RECRUITERS, SOLDIERS, NURSES, AND SPIES, AND ENDURED UNEQUAL TREATMENT, MASSACRES, AND RIOTS AS THEY PURSUED THEIR QUEST FOR FREEDOM AND EQUALITY.
3.  AS WE COMMEMORATE THE TREMENDOUS IMPACT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR NATION, WE ARE ESPECIALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED PROUDLY AS UNITED STATES MARINES. DURING NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE TIME TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE DEDICATED SERVICE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, TO OUR COUNTRY AND CORPS. COMMANDERS ARE FURTHER ENCOURAGED TO CONDUCT PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN OBSERVANCE EVENTS AT THEIR COMMANDS AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
4.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY (SES) MR. M. F. APPLEGATE, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//