Black History At The White House
February 12, 2007, 8:33pm
President Bush on Monday commemorated Black History Month at a White House ceremony by calling attention to Americans both famous and ordinary.
“[T]his is a little different kind of speech. It’s one where all I had to do was just simply talk about the accomplishments and lives of some of our citizens,” Bush said. “And their stories speak a lot louder and a lot clearer than I could have. … I always tell people the strength of this country lies in the hearts and souls of our citizens. The strength of the African-American community has always lied in the hearts and souls of our citizens, people who refuse to allow adversity to diminish the spirit and extinguish the drive to make America live up to its promise.”
His speech recognized people like:
- Justice Janice Rogers Brown of the federal D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals;
- House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.;
- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice;
- Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts and Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears, the first black head coaches of the National Football League to lead their teams to the Super Bowl;
- Sylvester Croom of Mississippi State University, the first black head coach in football for the Southeastern Conference;
- Wesley Autrey, who saved a man’s life in the New York subway system;
- And Bonnie St. John, a Rhodes scholar, the winner of medals in downhill skiing in the Paralymics and a small-businesswoman;
Categories: New York, White House, Race, Charles Rangel
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