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 Proclamations Proc. 7270 Proclamation 7270 of January 31, 2000 National African American History Month, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Each year during National African American History Month, as we explore the history and culture of African Americans, we discover anew a treasure of stories about the triumph of the human spirit, inspiring accounts of ev- eryday people rising above the indignities imposed by prejudice. These sto- ries are not only an important part of African American history, but an sontia] part of American history. We are awakened to such stories through the power, beauty, and unflinch- ing witness of poets and writers like Maya Angolou, Gwondolyn Brooks, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker. We find thom in the lives and voices of Fred- erick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Booker T. Washington, and others who, rising above slavery, brutality, and bigotry, became groat American cham- pions of liberty, equality, and dignity. We see thom written in the achieve- ments of civil rights leaders like Daisy Bates, James Farmer, John Lewis, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Mary Church Terre]], Roy Wil- kins, and Whitney Young. Forty years ago this month, a new chapter in African American history was written. On February 1, 1960, four courageous young men--freshmen at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College in Greensboro--sat down at a segregated lunch counter in a local store and politely refused to leave until they were Sel'Ved. Their nonviolent action challenged a bar- rier that, symbolically and practically, had separated black and white Americans for decades and denied equal treatment to African American citizens. The extraordinary bravery and determination of Eze]] Blair, Jr., Frank]in McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond galvanized young men and women of conscience across America, setting in motion a series of student sit-ins in more than 50 cities and 9 States. Subjecting themselves to verbal abuse, physical violence, and unjust arrest, thousands of black and white students peacefully demonstrated to end segregation in res- taurants, theaters, concert halls, and public transportation and called for equality in housing, health care, and education. Their story of conscience and conviction and their ultimate triumph continue to inspire us today. The theme of this year's African American History Month is "Heritage and Horizons: The African American Legacy and the Challenges of the 21st Century." It is a reminder that the new century on which we have just em- barked offers us a unique opportunity to write our own chapter in the his- tory of African Americans and of our Nation. We can use this time of ex- traordinary prosperity and peace to widen the circle of opportunity in America, to recognize that our society's rich diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and to unite around the fundamental values that we all share as Americans. We can teach our children that America's story has been writ- ten by men and women of every race and creed and ethnic background. And we can ensure that our laws, our actions, and our words honor the rights and dignity of every human being.

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