[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book I)]
[February 4, 1994]
[Pages 183-184]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on the Observance of National African-American History Month
February 4, 1994

    I want to extend my greetings to all of you who are celebrating 
African-American History Month during this important time of renewal and 
reflection for our country.
    America was founded on the principle that we're all created equal, 
and this solemn commitment to tolerance and freedom must continue to 
bind us as a nation. Our diverse culture enriches and broadens the 
American experience of which African-American heritage is an inseparable 
part. It weaves throughout our country's history, profoundly influencing 
every aspect of our national life.
    We've come a long way since the days when white-only and colored-
only signs disfigured our country's landscape and demeaned too many of 
our citizens. African-Americans have made great strides in recent years, 
commanding leadership positions in the public and private sectors in 
record numbers. Opportunities for education advancement, election, and 
mobility continue to expand among black Americans, and our country's 
moving ever closer to fulfilling its fundamental promise of equality for 
all.
    Yet the truth is, many problems continue to plague our communities, 
tarnishing that ideal of equality because they affect African-Americans 
more adversely than the rest of us. The poverty, the drugs, the violence 
that afflict too many of our people in our communities, of all races and 
backgrounds, have severely harmed black children, women, and men, 
threatening our vision of a better world.
    Throughout this month, we look to the lessons of our past for 
solutions to these crises, in the hope of building a brighter world for 
the future.

[[Page 184]]

Many such solutions can be found in the rich history of the African-
American people. The speeches of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, the 
writings of W.E.B. Du Bois, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, the 
powerful literature of Toni Morrison, Richard Wright, Alice Walker, and 
so many others explore the difficulties and the joys that pervade the 
African-American experience.
    By rediscovering and celebrating this wealth of history, we can draw 
strength from the successes of these great leaders and determination 
from their example for the hard work in the days ahead to forge a new 
era of healing and hope. As we continually strive to embrace the talent 
and creativity of all our Nation's people, I want to give my best wishes 
to all of you for an exciting, productive, and renewing month.