[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 126, 112th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8776--JAN. 31, 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



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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.
BARACK OBAMA