[NFBV-Announce] Black History Month...Did you know?

[jackibruce6 at gmail.com]

Hey NFB Family and Friends,

 

It's Black History Month and our Black Empowerment Committee will be letting
us know about an influential African American each day this month.  Read on
and enjoy!  

 

Members of the Affiliate, 

 

An African American historian by the name of Carter G. Woodson and the
Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced in 1926, that
the second week of February would be known as "Negro History Week". This
week was chosen because it occurred around the birthdays of Fredrick Douglas
and Abraham Lincoln, as a way of remembering important people and events in
the history of the African diaspora. 

 

What began as a week has turned into an entire month. Black History Month
(also known as African American History Month) is celebrated in the United
States and Canada in February and in Ireland, United Kingdom and the
Netherlands in October. 

 

Each day, members of the Black Empowerment Committee will share the names of
famous people who are of African decent that you may not be familiar with. 

 

Join us while we travel backwards and forwards in time as we take a look at
some of the accomplishments that have shaped the world we live in today

 

Let's  begin. 

 

In April of 1776, John Martin, also known  as Keto, a slave from Delaware,
was recruited by Captain of the Marines Miles Pennington of the Continental
brig USS Reprisal. In recruiting Martin, he became the first African
American to serve in a Marine role. Despite not having permission from his
owner to join, Private Martin went on to participate in a cruise that
resulted in the capture of five British merchantmen. However, he died in
October of 1777, along with all but one of his shipmates, when Reprisal
foundered in a gale. While he was not in the Marines long, he paved the way
for others to join. Tune in tomorrow for another bit of history.

 

Andre Hill

Chairperson

Black Empowerment Committee 


Peace,

Jacki Bruce

Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia
 <mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com> mailto:jackibruce6 at gmail.com
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Live the life you want.

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want

 

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