Senator Breslin Celebrates February as Black History Month

February 9, 2011

Contact:  Evan Schneider│eschneid@nysenate.gov│518-455-2225

(Albany, NY)-“February is not only a time to observe and remember the history of Black people in our society, but also embolden ourselves in the continuing fight for social and economic justice,” said Senator Neil D. Breslin (D-Delmar), marking February as Black History Month. 

It was historian Carter G. Woodson who chose February for this celebration because the second week of the month marks the birthdays of both President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass.

“Black history is filled with countless individuals that have fundamentally re-shaped the course of American history,” said Senator Breslin. “We know the names of Harriet Tubman, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and President Barack Obama—however, they are only a piece of that history. From those who endured the indignity of slavery, to the soldier defending our freedoms overseas, Black History is filled with giants.”

For more information about Black History Month visit New York’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at www.nypl.org/locations/schomburg or www.history.com/content/blackhistory.

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