JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- Black History Month is held throughout February and members of Joint Base San Antonio are encouraged to celebrate.
African American/Black History Month was established by Public Law 99-244 and can trace its origins back to 1915 when historian and author Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. This organization is now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, or ASALH.
Through this organization, Woodson initiated the first Negro History Week in February 1926. Woodson selected the week in February that included the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two key figures in the history of African Americans.
In 1975, President Gerald Ford issued a Message on the Observance of Black History Week urging all Americans to “recognize the important contribution made to our nation's life and culture by black citizens.”
In 1976 this commemoration of black history in the United States was expanded by ASALH to Black History Month, also known as African American History Month, and President Ford issued the first Message on the Observance of Black History Month that year. In subsequent years, Presidents Carter and Reagan and each subsequent president continued to issue messages honoring African American History Month.
“The foremost purpose of Black History Month is to make all Americans aware of this struggle for freedom and equal opportunity,” Reagan said in his proclamation in 1986. “This month is a time to celebrate the many achievements of African Americans in every field from science and the arts to politics and religion.”
In observance of Black History Month, or BHM, Joint Base San Antonio is displaying BHM posters across Joint Base San Antonio. Posters will be displayed at all JBSA commissary locations, as well as at the Keith A. Campbell Memorial Library at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, at the JBSA-Randolph Library and Military Personnel Services Customer Support Section. Visitors to these locations are encouraged to follow COVID-19 health and safety measures, including practicing physical distancing.
Keep watch for content being posted to the JBSA.mil website throughout the all month long featuring informative BHM video interviews.
These videos can be found on the JBSA Facebook pages at https://www.facebook.com/JointBaseSanAntonio/ and https://www.facebook.com/502ABWCommandTeam/; at the JBSA Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/JointBaseSanAntonio and at the JBSA DVIDSHub page athttps://www.dvidshub.net/unit/502ABW.
For more information, contact the Civilian Personnel Section at 210-221-1408 or email usaf.jbsa.502-abw.mbx.jbsa-fsh-cps@mail.mil.