Embassy of the United States

Black History Month 2009

The Quest for Black  Citizenship in the Americas

This year’s theme recognizes the endeavors of African Americans to unite a nation, bringing equality and social justice to all.

• Black History Month Honors Legacy of Struggle and Triumph

Obama inauguration significant as African Americans honored in February

A man and his son see the bus in which Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in 1955, a landmark moment in the civil rights movement.   Washington — Each February, Black History Month honors the struggles and triumphs of millions of American citizens over the most devastating obstacles — slavery, prejudice, poverty — as well as their contributions to the nation’s cultural and political life. In 2009, the inauguration of Barack Obama, America’s first African-American president, lends Black History Month a special significance. Obama took the oath of office January 20, the day after Americans honored the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. with a federal holiday and national day of service. The late civil rights leader would have turned 80 on January 15...more

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• Montgomery Bus Boycott • Martin Luther King • Little Rock Nine

• Presidential Proclamation on National African American History Month, 2009

In addition to President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder (shown here), the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and the nominee for U.S. Trade Representative are African Americans. Learn More • Eric Holder: First Black Attorney General • U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice • USTR-Designate Ron Kirk • African American to Lead Republican Party

• Photo Galleries

U.S. Civil Rights Movement Pioneering African-American Athletes Historically Black Colleges and Universities During the early 20th century in the American South, racial segregation was the norm. But the 1950s saw the launch of a powerful civil rights campaign. Many African American athletes have overcome barriers to participate in the sports they love. Here are 12 who won accolades and inspired others. The United States has105 historically black colleges and universities that count many distinguished American artists and leaders among their alumni.

• Publication

Free At Last - The U.S. Civil Rights Movement This book recounts how African-American slaves and their descendants struggled to win — both in law and in practice — the civil rights enjoyed by other Americans. It is a story of dignified persistence and struggle, a story that produced great heroes and heroines, and one that ultimately succeeded by forcing Americans to confront squarely the shameful gap between their universal principles of equality and justice and the inequality, injustice, and oppression faced by millions of their fellow citizens. Inside this publication View PDF (3.6 MB) | Get Adobe Acrobat Reader Enlarge Cover

Justice for All: The Legacy of Thurgood Marshall Thurgood Marshall stands as one of the great American heroes of the 20th century: He was the attorney who ended legal segregation in the United States with his victory in the Brown v. Board of Education case, and the U.S. Supreme Court justice who championed expanded rights for every individual American -- minorities, women, and immigrants, among many others. Inside this publication View PDF (1.7 MB) | Get Adobe Acrobat Reader Enlarge Cover

• Online Resources

African American History Month

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to become a backbone American society.

The Law Library of Congress: National African American Heritage Month

In celebration of National African American History Month, the Law Library of Congress presents this guide providing an overview, legislative branch documents, executive branch documents, and web resources.

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence: African Americans Teaching and learning resources from U.S. federal agencies on African Americans.  Also see Slavery, U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction, and The Civil Rights Movement.

U.S. Census Bureau: Facts for Features Black (African-American) History Month: February 2009

National Register of Historic Places Travel Itineraries These online travel itineraries were created by the National Park Service and other federal agencies.  See Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement, Underground Railroad and Amistad.

America.gov: Black History Month