RAAUZYUW RUENAAA1061 0161257-UUUU--RUCCBWF.
ZNR UUUUU ZUI RUEWMCF9305 0161300
R 161257Z JAN 07 ZYB MIN ZYW PSN 000890I17 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC 
TO NAVADMIN INFO RHMFIUU/CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// BT UNCLAS //N05354// 
NAVADMIN 006/07 
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JAN// 
SUBJ/NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH// 
/NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH//
RMKS/1.  
FEBRUARY MARKS THE 81ST ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY 
MONTH.  THE NATIONAL THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S OBSERVANCE IS "FROM SLAVERY 
TO FREEDOM: THE STORY OF AFRICANS IN THE AMERICAS."
2.  AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL 
COMMANDS TO EDUCATE THEIR PERSONNEL ON THE HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF 
AFRICAN AMERICANS IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY AND IN THEIR SERVICE TO OUR 
NAVY.  AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE SERVED WITH DISTINCTION IN EVERY MAJOR 
CONFLICT FROM THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION TO OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND 
AMONG THEM, THERE HAVE BEEN 87 MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS.  TODAY, 
68,471 ACTIVE DUTY, 10,183 RESERVE AND 22,915 CIVIL SERVICE AFRICAN 
AMERICAN PERSONNEL PROUDLY SERVE IN OUR RANKS.
3.  ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2006, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY ANNOUNCED THAT 
THE NAVY S NEWEST ARLEIGH BURKE CLASS GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYER WILL BE 
NAMED USS GRAVELY IN HONOR OF VADM SAMUEL L. GRAVELY.
COMMISSIONED IN 1944, VADM GRAVELY WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO 
COMMAND A WARSHIP, THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ADMIRAL, AND THE FIRST 
AFRICAN AMERICAN TO COMMAND A U.S. FLEET.
4.  2006 ALSO MARKED THE PASSING OF THE LAST SURVIVING MEMBER OF THE 
GOLDEN THIRTEEN.  THE EXPERIENCES OF THESE FIRST THIRTEEN AFRICAN 
AMERICAN NAVY OFFICERS WERE DOCUMENTED IN THE BOOK "THE GOLDEN 
THIRTEEN".  IN THE FORWARD TO THAT BOOK, GENERAL COLIN POWELL COMMENTED, 
"FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THEY UNDERSTOOD, ALMOST INTUITIVELY, THAT 
HISTORY HAD DEALT THEM A STERN OBLIGATION.  THEY REALIZED THAT IN THEIR 
HANDS RESTED THE CHANCE TO HELP OPEN THE BLIND MORAL EYE THAT AMERICA 
HAD TURNED ON THE QUESTION OF RACE."
5.  COMMANDS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO CELEBRATE AFRICAN AMERICAN 
HISTORY MONTH THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, EXHIBITS, PUBLICATIONS, AND 
PARTICIPATION IN MILITARY AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT RECOGNIZE THE 
DIVERSITY OF OUR AMERICAN CULTURE.
6.  FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE NAVY DIVERSITY WEB PAGE AT 
HTTP:/WWW.NPC.NAVY.MIL/COMMANDSUPPORT/DIVERSITY/ OR CONTACT LT MATT 
HOOKER AT (703) 695-2824/DSN 225, E-MAIL: MATT.HOOKER@NAVY.MIL.
7.  RELEASED BY VADM J. C. HARVEY, JR., N1.// BT
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