[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 127, 113th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 9023--SEPT. 20, 2013

Proclamation 9023 of September 20, 2013

National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, 2013
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Before the Civil War, an education--much less a college education--was
out of reach for most African Americans. There were few institutions
focused on meeting the intellectual curiosity and spurring the academic
growth of African American students. But as our Union began to heal from
the wounds of war, and the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were signed,
a freed people demanded a freed mind, and



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courageous leaders began
expanding what we now know as our Nation's Historically Black Colleges
and Universities (HBCUs).
More than a century and a half later, we cannot overstate the role HBCUs
have played in the narrative of our country. These are the institutions
that helped build a middle class and produced some of our Nation's
preeminent thinkers and entrepreneurs, doctors and scientists, judges
and lawyers, service members and educators. These are the schools where
students banded together in open fields and assembly halls as part of a
movement that pushed us closer to true freedom and equality for all. And
these are the campuses where generations of students not only gained the
education and skills necessary for the workforce, but also cultivated an
understanding of history and knowledge of self that are necessary in
life.
As we move toward our goal of having the highest proportion of college
graduates in the world by 2020, HBCUs continue to provide pathways of
opportunity for students across our country. Ensuring these schools have
the resources they need to help students reach their fullest potential
remains a top priority for my Administration, and we have taken steps to
keep these institutions strong--from providing funding for
infrastructure and technology to increasing our investments in Pell
Grants.
During National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, we
pay tribute to the legacies of these proud halls of higher learning. And
as we reflect on the past, let us also draw strength from the founders
of these institutions and move forward with the work of making sure the
doors to a quality education are open to all.
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 22 through
September 28, 2013, as National Historically Black Colleges and
Universities Week. I call upon educators, public officials, professional
organizations, corporations, and all Americans to observe this week with
appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that acknowledge the
countless contributions these institutions and their alumni have made to
our country.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
eighth.
BARACK OBAMA