[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 3124-3125]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 5, 2007

  Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, in honor of Black History Month, I welcome 
you to join me in commemorating the the history of Africans in the 
Americas. Since 1926, the month of February has been the designated 
time for honoring the Black contribution. It serves as a reminder that 
we must be ever vigilant of the Black experience in this country, and 
the African roots of our shared concepts of freedom, hope, and justice. 
This year's theme for Black History Month is fittingly, ``From Slavery 
to Freedom: The Story of Africans in the Americas.''
  As Chair of the Congressional Ethiopia and Ethiopian American Caucus, 
I am particularly interested in the history of Africans in this 
country. My experience with this community has taught me that the 
history of the Diaspora is as complex and divergent as the communities 
themselves. Our challenge this month is educate ourselves about the 
Diaspora and to understand how African Americans embrace and explore 
their heritage.
  This February, let us broaden our understanding of the myriad ways 
people of African descent arrived here--beyond the slave trade. Let us 
be honest and open about the impact

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that slavery has had on African descendant communities today, but let 
us also celebrate the African contribution to our culture in spite of 
it. The best way to honor the African American experience is to educate 
oneself and one's community. I urge you to use this month to expose 
yourselves to the ways in which the African American experience has 
already been made a part of your life.

                          ____________________