[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 21, 2011)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 58713-58714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24451]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 183 / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 58713]]


                Proclamation 8717 of September 16, 2011

                
National Historically Black Colleges and 
                Universities Week, 2011

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                More than 150 years ago, courageous men and women took 
                great risks and made extraordinary sacrifices to 
                establish our country's first African-American colleges 
                and universities. These institutions remain at the 
                forefront of providing educational opportunities to 
                young people across our country today. During National 
                Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, we 
                pay homage to the daring leaders who laid the 
                foundation for these institutions, and we reaffirm our 
                commitment to ensuring Historically Black Colleges and 
                Universities (HBCUs) remain pathways to realizing the 
                American dream.

                Founded by visionaries, HBCUs have given generations of 
                students a sense of their heritage, their history, and 
                their place in the American narrative. They have 
                produced many of our Nation's leaders in business, 
                government, academia, and the military. Today, we 
                recognize them as the crucibles of learning, where a 
                young legal student discovered the sense of purpose 
                that led him to the Supreme Court, a young broadcaster 
                with a unique name gained the foundation to build an 
                empire, and a young preacher grew into a king who 
                shared his dream with the world.

                HBCUs continue a proud tradition as vibrant centers of 
                intellectual inquiry and engines of scientific 
                discovery and innovation. New waves of students, 
                faculty, and alumni are building on their rich legacies 
                and helping America achieve our goal of once again 
                leading the world in having the highest proportion of 
                college graduates by 2020. This week, as we celebrate 
                the vast contributions HBCUs have made to our Nation, 
                we are reminded of their role in fulfilling a great 
                American truth--that equal access to a quality 
                education can open doors for all our people. By 
                continuing to strengthen HBCUs, we ensure they remain 
                beacons of hope for future generations of Americans who 
                will move our country closer to the ideals of our 
                founding.

                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 September 18 through 
                September 24, 2011, as National Historically Black 
                Colleges and Universities Week. I call upon educators, 
                public officials, professional organizations, 
                corporations, and all the people of the United States 
                to observe this week with appropriate programs, 
                ceremonies, and activities that acknowledge the 
                numerous contributions these institutions and their 
                alumni have made to our country.

[[Page 58714]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2011-24451
Filed 9-20-11; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3195-W1-P