Celebration honors those who fought for equal rights

Pvt. Aaron Carpenter/28th Public Affairs Detachment

Joint Base Lewis-McChord hosted a Black History Month celebration at JBLM Lewis North Chapel Feb. 16 to honor the men and women who strived for equal rights for all Americans.

This year’s Black History Month theme was “Economic Empowerment.”

The ceremonial presentation featured guest speakers, Frankie Manning, nursing executive at the Puget Sound Veteran’s Hospital; Rev. Maurice Wright, a board member of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Board of Preachers and Scholars and a National Association for the Advancement of Colored People representative; the Jerusalem’s Gate quintet and music by Maya Soleil.

“I stand before you with a joyful heart,” said Manning, a retired lieutenant colonel. “But we still must celebrate black history in America because equality is not yet built into the core value of our American systems.”

Manning emphasized that people of color understood that fighting for our country in the armed services made it possible to develop economically. Their accomplishments provided economic empowerment and paved the way for future minorities.

Manning came across many influential leaders in uniform throughout her time in service.

She mentioned leaders who defied the odds, such as retired Brig. Gen. Hazel W. Johnson-Brown, the first female African American general, and former chief of the Army’s Nursing Corps.

Another inspiring story of success was about Florence Ray. Ray started off as a supply sergeant in the Army, became a commissioned officer in the Air Force and earned a master’s degree in psychology to work in the civilian sector.

“Each of us stands on the shoulders of the men and women who integrated the military service,” Manning said.

Wright also has a more genuine understanding of how the military can bring empowerment and equality, considering his 27-year career in the Army.

He identified three different categories of American life that needed to be changed for African-Americans to have a chance in this country.

“Corporate life, legal challenges and voting are the three aspects that leveled the playing field,” Wright said.

These challenges were severe as racism ran deep, so deep that the movie “Birth of a Nation” glorified the atrocities committed by the Klu Klux Klan and premiered at the White House in 1915.

Although President Barack Obama is our commander-in-chief, stigma still exists in America, and that’s why Wright spoke of the continued need for the NAACP.

“As long as there are these (racists, ageists and sexists), there is a need for the NAACP,” Wright said.

The need for the next generation of leaders is an ongoing process, and equal opportunity for all types of people to have gainful employment resounds through Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

“Something we push in ROTC is diversity,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Isaia T. Vimoto, 8th Brigade command, U.S. Army Cadet Command command sergeant major. “This year’s theme shows how diverse African-Americans are.”

The Grandstaff Library brought a display to make sure that everyone knows where they can get additional information on their own time.

“We normally provide a display of the library material that we have for the various ethnic organizations and the various post observances,” said Jane Kearney, acting chief librarian at Grandstaff Library. “It’s something that we feel enhances the learning experience.”

The celebration was capped off with a free soul-food buffet complete with fried chicken, catfish, red beans and rice, black-eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, various vegetable dishes and a crispy peach cobbler.

Maya Soleil played in the background while the guest speakers and audience enjoyed each other’s company.