Page 2 - Black History Month 2022 - Combined Special Edition of Aerotech News and Review — Nellis AFB - Creech AFB Desert Lightning News

Black History Month has long history;

observed across nation, world Reader’s

Services
February is Black History Month, and the appreciate the value of tradition; and where is he Kent State University in February 1969. The first
theme of the 2022 observance is “Black Health today? The Hebrew keenly appreciated the value celebration of Black History Month took place How to contact
and Welness.” of tradition, as is attested by the Bible itself. In at Kent State one year later, from Jan. 2-Feb. Aerotech News and Review
The theme of the observance is set each year spite of worldwide persecution, therefore, he is 28, 1970.
by the Association for the Study of African a great factor in our civilization.” Six years later, Black History Month was • E-Mail: editor@aerotechnews.com
• Phone: (661) 945-5634
American Life and History. By 1929, The Journal of Negro History was being celebrated all across the country in edu- • Fax: (661) 723-7757
Black History Month is an annual observance able to note that with only two exceptions, of- cational institutions, centers of Black culture • Website: www.aerotechnews.com
that originated in the United States, where it is ficials with the State Departments of Education and community centers, both great and small.
sometimes known as African American History of “every state with considerable Negro popula- President Gerald Ford recognized Black Histo-
Month. And while the observance has received tion” had made the event known to that state’s ry Month, during the celebration of the United Advertising
official recognition from the U.S. and Canadian teachers and distributed official literature asso- States Bicentennial. Corporate Headquarters:
governments, Black History Month is also ob- ciated with the event. Churches also played a He urged Americans to “seize the opportunity (877) 247-9288
served in Ireland, the Netherlands and the United significant role in the distribution of literature in to honor the too-often neglected accomplish- Email: sbueltel@aerotechnews.com
Kingdom. association with Negro History Week during this ments of Black Americans in every area of en-
In the United Kingdom, Black History Month
is celebrated in October. The first celebration initial interval, with the mainstream and Black deavor throughout our history.” Subscriber Services
was in 1987, which marked the 150th anniversa- press aiding in the publicity effort. Now, Black History Month is observed in Subscriptions to Aerotech News
ry of the Caribbean emancipation. In Ireland, the Negro History Week was met with enthu- schools across the nation, by the U.S. govern- and Review are $59 for six
first celebration took place in October 2010 in siastic response; it prompted the creation of ment, and by the Department of Defense. months or $89 for one year. For
the city of Cork. In the 19th century, Cork was Black history clubs, an increase in interest For more on this year’s theme, visit the As- more information, contact the
a leading center of the abolitionist movement. among teachers, and interest from progressive sociation for the Study of African American Life subscription department at:
Leading anti-slave societies welcome a number whites. Negro History Week grew in popularity and History website at www.asalh.org. (661) 945-5634
of Black abolitionists to speak there, including throughout the following decades, with may-
Charles Lenox Remond and Frederick Douglass. ors across the United States endorsing it as a In this special issue, we highlight some im-
The Netherlands has celebrated Black History holiday. portant historical milestones and some key Af- Story ideas, letters, editorials
Month, also in October, since 2015. Black History Month was first proposed by rican American figures in the military and in Please send all letters and editorials to
The precursor to Black History Month was Black educators and the Black United Students at aerospace. Stuart A. Ibberson, editor,
created in 1926 in the United States, when at editor@aerotechnews.com.
historian Carter G. Woodson and the As-
sociation for the Study of Negro Life and
History (now known as the Association
for the Study of AfricanAmerican Life Web Site
and History) announced the second week Access the Aerotech News web
of February to be “Negro History Week.” site at www.aerotechnews.com
This week was chosen because it coin- Submissions for upcoming events, air
cided with the birthday of Abraham Lin- shows and museums
coln on Feb. 12 and of Frederick Doug- should be emailed to
lass on Feb. 14, both of which dates Black editor@aerotechnews.com.
communities had celebrated together For questions concerning the web site,
since the late 19th century. Negro His- contact the webmaster at
tory Week was the center of the equation. webmaster@aerotechnews.com.
The thought-process behind the week was
never recorded, but scholars acknowledge
two reasons for its birth: recognition and
importance. Woodson felt deeply that at Where you can get
least one week would allow for the gen- Aerotech News and Review
eral movement to become something an- For information on
nually celebrated. Also, after the 10-year- Aerotech distribution, call
long haul to successfully complete his (661) 945-5634 or visit
“Journal of Negro History,” he realized www.aerotechnews.com/distribution.
the subject deserved to resonate with a
greater audience.
From the event’s initial phase, primary Aerotech News and Review is published
emphasis was placed on encouraging the every other Friday, serving the
coordinated teaching of the history of aerospace and defense industry of
American Blacks in the nation’s public Southern California, Nevada and
schools. The first Negro History Week Arizona. News and ad copy deadline
was met with a lukewarm response, gain- is noon on the Tuesday prior to
ing the cooperation of the Departments of publication. The publisher assumes no
Education of the states of North Carolina, responsibility for error in ads other
Delaware and West Virginia as well as the than space used. Your comments are
city school administrations of Baltimore welcomed and encouraged. Write to
and Washington, D.C. Despite this far the address below.
from universal observance, the event was
regarded by Woodson as “one of the most
fortunate steps ever taken by the Associa-
tion,” and plans for a repeat of the event • Publisher ....................Paul Kinison
on an annual basis continued apace. • Business Manager ....... Lisa Kinison
At the time of Negro History Week’s • Editor .................... Stuart Ibberson
• National Advertising
launch, Woodson contended that the Manager .....................Paul Kinison
teaching of Black history was essential to
ensure the physical and intellectual sur-
vival of the race within broader society:
“If a race has no history, it has no Aerotech News and Review
worthwhile tradition, it becomes a neg- e-mail: editor@aerotechnews.com
ligible factor in the thought of the world, Visit our web site at
and it stands in danger of being extermi-
nated,” Woodson said. “The American In- www.aerotechnews.com
dian left no continuous record. He did not

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