National African American History Month, 2012

Proclamation 8776 of January 31, 2012

National African American History Month, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

The story of African Americans is a story of resilience
and perseverance. It traces a people who refused to
accept the circumstances under which they arrived on
these shores, and it chronicles the generations who
fought for an America that truly reflects the ideals
enshrined in our founding documents. It is the
narrative of slaves who shepherded others along the
path to freedom and preachers who organized against the
rules of Jim Crow, of young people who sat-in at lunch
counters and ordinary men and women who took
extraordinary risks to change our Nation for the
better. During National African American History Month,
we celebrate the rich legacy of African Americans and
honor the remarkable contributions they have made to
perfecting our Union.

This year's theme, ``Black Women in American Culture
and History,'' invites us to pay special tribute to the
role African American women have played in shaping the
character of our Nation--often in the face of both
racial and gender discrimination. As courageous
visionaries who led the fight to end slavery and
tenacious activists who fought to expand basic civil
rights to all Americans, African American women have
long served as champions of social and political
change. And from the literary giants who gave voice to
their communities to the artists whose harmonies and
brush strokes captured hardships and aspirations,
African American women have forever enriched our
cultural heritage. Today, we stand on the shoulders of
countless African American women who shattered glass
ceilings and advanced our common goals. In recognition
of their legacy, let us honor their heroic and historic
acts for years to come.

The achievements of African American women are not
limited to those recorded and retold in our history
books. Their impact is felt in communities where they
are quiet heroes who care for their families, in
boardrooms where they are leaders of industry, in
laboratories where they are discovering new
technologies, and in classrooms where they are
preparing the next generation for the world they will
inherit. As we celebrate the successes of African
American women, we recall that progress did not come
easily, and that our work to widen the circle of
opportunity for all Americans is not complete. With
eyes cast toward new horizons, we must press on in
pursuit of a high-quality education for every child, a
job for every American who wants one, and a fair chance
at prosperity for every individual and family across
our Nation.

During National African American History Month, we pay
tribute to the contributions of past generations and
reaffirm our commitment to keeping the American dream
alive for the next generation. In honor of those women
and men who paved the way for us, and with great
expectations for those to follow, let us continue the
righteous cause of making America what it should be--a
Nation that is more just and more equal for all its
people.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim February 2012 as

National African American History Month. I call upon
public officials, educators, librarians, and all the
people of the United States to observe this month with
appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord
two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
sixth.