ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 121600Z JAN 04 ZYB MIN PSN 878425J34
 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
 
TO NAVADMIN
 
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 005/04
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/-/JAN//
 
SUBJ/NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH//
 
RMKS/1.  FEBRUARY MARKS THE 78TH ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF AFRICAN
AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH.  THIS YEAR'S THEME IS "BROWN VS BOARD OF
EDUCATION (50TH ANNIVERSARY)."
 
2.  AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE MADE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
NAVY THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY.  FROM CHIEF GUNNER'S MATE JOHN HENRY
"DICK" TURPIN, THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN CHIEF PETTY OFFICER, AND A
SURVIVOR OF THE EXPLOSION ABOARD USS MAINE, TO HARRIET IDA PICKENS
AND FRANCES WILLS, THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN NAVAL OFFICERS.
THESE PROUD WARRIORS SERVED ON THE FRONT LINES OF FREEDOM, BRINGING
TALENT, DEDICATION, AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO THE FIGHT.
 
3.  THEY STILL DO.  TODAY, THERE ARE MORE THAN 75,000 AFRICAN
AMERICANS ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE NAVY, WITH THOUSANDS MORE SERVING
PROUDLY IN THE NAVAL RESERVES.  THEY WORK, TRAIN, LEAD, AND
CONTRIBUTE EVERY DAY IN THE FINEST TRADITION OF THE HEROES WHO
PRECEDED THEM.  INDEED, THEY ARE WRITING NEW HISTORY.
 
4.  DURING THE PAST YEAR, A NUMBER OF EXCEPTIONAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN
SAILORS AND CIVILIANS WERE RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO
COUNTRY AND COMMUNITY.  YNC(SW) HAZEL M. HUDSON RECEIVED THE ROY
WILKINS RENOWN SERVICE AWARD FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE (NACCP); MR. LARRY HOLLINGSWORTH WAS
SELECTED BY THE BLACK ENGINEER OF THE YEAR ORGANIZATION FOR THE
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN INDUSTRY OR GOVERNMENT AWARD; AND RDML
MELVIN G. WILLIAMS WON THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS'
GOLDEN TORCH AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT.  WE
SALUTE AND CONGRATULATE THESE INDIVIDUALS, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE
THAT THEY REPRESENT THE HIGH IDEALS, THE SELFLESSNESS, AND THE PROUD
SERVICE OF ALL AFRICAN AMERICAN -- INDEED ALL AMERICAN -- SAILORS.
 
5.  COMMANDS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO OBSERVE NATIONAL AFRICAN
AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, EXHIBITS,
PUBLICATIONS, AND PARTICIPATION IN MILITARY AND COMMUNITY EVENTS
THAT RECOGNIZE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR AMERICAN HERITAGE.  FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION, VISIT THE PERS-00H WEBSITE AT
WWW.PERSNET.NAVY.MIL/PERS00H OR CONTACT YN1(AW) OTIS ROBINSON AT
(901) 874-4073/DSN 882, E-MAIL:  OTIS.ROBINSON@NAVY.MIL.
 
6.  RELEASED BY VADM G. L. HOEWING, N1.//
 
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