[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9572 of February 1, 2017

National African American History Month, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

As we celebrate National African American History Month, we recognize
the heritage and achievements of African Americans. The contributions
African Americans have made and continue to make are an integral part of
our society, and the history of African Americans exemplifies the
resilience and innovative spirit that continue to make our Nation great.
For generations, African Americans have embodied the shared progress of
our Nation. Through toil and struggle and with courageous actions that
have broken barriers, they have made America a better place to live and
work for everybody. Women like Katherine Johnson, a pioneer in space
history whose work helped America win the Space Race, and Madam C.J.
Walker, who became one of the most successful female entrepreneurs of
her time, paved the way for both women and African Americans in their
respective fields. Robert Smalls, a man born into

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slavery, founded our Nation's first free and compulsory public school
system. Later in life, he served as a lawmaker in South Carolina's State
legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives. The strength and
determination of men and women like these remind us that our Nation
brims with people whose contributions continue to make it stronger and
better.
This year, African American History Month calls upon us to reflect on
the crucial role of education in the history of African Americans. It
reminds us of the importance of teaching and reflecting upon the many
roles African Americans have played in building this Nation and driving
it forward. This year's theme also calls upon us to rededicate ourselves
to the work of ensuring that all children in this Nation have access to
quality educational opportunities that give them the skills,
experiences, relationships, and credentials that can empower them to
follow in the footsteps of people like Katherine Johnson, Madam C.J.
Walker, and Robert Smalls.
As we journey toward a stronger, more united Nation, let us use this
commemoration of African American History Month to serve as a reminder
of the need for meaningful dialogue and shared commitment to collective
action that uplifts and empowers, as well as of the strength, ingenuity,
and perseverance required of us in the years to come.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, 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 2017 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 first day of
February, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
first.
DONALD J. TRUMP