Black history month celebrates African Americans
African Americans know what February is. It's Black History Month, a time for remembering the legendary sacrifices of great Americans from the foundation of this nation, through the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance to the election of President Barack Obama.
In homes, churches and many classroom, black school children learn about the great people who shaped their unique heritage — Abolitionist and Feminist Sojourner Truth, poets Phyllis Wheatley and Maya Angelou, statesmen-philosophers Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois and, of course, Civil Right icons Rosa Parks and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
But February is not only a month for African Americans to celebrate the contributions of former slaves to the building of this nation, it should be a time of both reflection and celebration for all Americans.
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) has taken the opportunity of Black History Month to not only pay tribute to those great African Americans who are now legends of American history. But it is commendable he has taken time to encourage and honor African American leaders who are hard at work in our communities today.
This week, he brought three African American women to Washington D.C. for ceremonies that honored their ongoing work in our communities.
These are people who have paved pathways toward a brighter future for children and families throughout the Commonwealth, Casey said. They included Ellyn Jo Waller, Kathi Elliott and Rosemary Browne, all Pennsylvania women who are impacting modern day history.
"They have dedicated their lives to providing young Pennsylvanians with the opportunity to learn and grow in their communities," Casey said. "And I am honored to have them join me in Washington to celebrate their accomplishments and discuss the work that we can continue to do together."
Elliott is the CEO of Gwen's Girls, an organization founded in 2002 by her mother, the late Commander Gwen Elliott, to serve at-risk girls. The organization provides mentoring, counseling and tutoring services for the estimated 100 girls that enter its doors for after-school programs each day.
Elliott also organized the Black Girls Equity Alliance (BGEA), a community collaboration that is focused on addressing inequities in the juvenile justice, child welfare, education and health care systems.
Ellyn Jo Waller is First Lady of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia and is an advocate for addressing issues of human trafficking. Dr. Waller established an anti-human trafficking ministry at her church to raise awareness of human trafficking in the faith community. She is active in several other organizations, including the board of directors for The City School (Education Committee Chair), the Community College of Philadelphia Foundation board and the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia.
Rosemary Browne is president and CEO of Alder Health Services with a mission of serving the LGBTQ community and those who suffer from HIV/AIDS. Browne was appointed to Governor Tom Wolf's PA Commission on LGBTQ Affairs and has dedicated herself to supporting LGBTQ individuals and their families.
Brown is well known in the Harrisburg region, having spent more than 35 years working in the nonprofit and government sectors that distributed more than $30 million in investments in community services and tuition assistance to hundreds of area college-bound students.
All of these women deserve our applause, as does Sen. Casey for using his bully pulpit each February to celebrate Black History Month. We wish more elected officials would do the same, finding opportunities to acknowledge the contributions of all of the diverse peoples who built these United States and who continue to make our country the envy of the world. — Harrisburg Patriot News