[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 15 (Tuesday, February 2, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E123]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

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                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 2, 2010

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, it is with great respect 
and admiration that I rise to honor African American History Month. 
African American History Month was created to celebrate and remember 
the great achievements, advancements, sacrifices and contributions that 
the African American community has done for the United States of 
America.
  This month has been, and continues to be, a beautiful and powerful 
reminder as to why the United States of America continues to be a 
beacon of freedom and success in the world. If you work hard, and stand 
true to what is right, to what you believe in, and heed the messages of 
our forefathers, you can overcome all obstacles in the face of 
hardship. To this, African American History Month is a testament.
  The message of this month should not be unappreciated and it should 
not be forgotten. This month remains relevant in today's changing 
political and social landscape. The fruit of the African American Civil 
Rights Movement can still be seen today. Just forty years after the 
assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., African Americans are now 
forces to be reckoned with in almost every field, whether business or 
academia, politics or the non-profit community. Once considered an 
impossible dream, an African American is now our own Commander and 
Chief in the White House.
  It should be said, Madam Speaker, that learning about African 
American history is learning about the true history of America as a 
nation.
  As such, I would like to ask my distinguished colleagues to join me 
in honoring and celebrating African American History Month this year.

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