2006 Press Releases
U.S. Embassy Commemorates African-American History Month
February 24, 2006
In commemoration of African-American History Month, the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat is presenting a poster exhibit as well as film screenings shown daily at 16:00 from February 24 to March 3, 2006, at the National Library of Turkmenistan.
On February 24, Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson opened the African-American film festival and poster exhibit in Ashgabat. She emphasized that similar events held worldwide recognize enormous contributions of black Americans to the American society. "Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. have helped the American society to learn to accept and to respect differences in culture, race, religion and view point. Respect for diversity is critical for any nation’s success." She thanked the Government of Turkmenistan for their cooperation in organizing the event.
The posters displayed during the African-American Heritage Week feature Martin Luther King’s speech “ I Have A Dream,” the Montgomery bus boycott, historically black colleges and universities, and famous contemporary black Americans. Daily movie screenings will help viewers understand the African-American movement against segregation and their struggle for equality and civil rights. Among these movies are Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, A Raisin In The Sun and Sounder.
Originally established as Negro History Week in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a noted African-American author and scholar, this event evolved into the designation of February as "Black History Month" in 1976. The designation of February as Black History Month was part of an effort to remedy the neglect of African-Americans’ contributions to America’s development in U.S. history books and provide the information needed for understanding and empathetic dialogue about African-Americans to all Americans and others around the world.
More information about African-American History Month events in Ashgabat may be requested from the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section by calling 35-00-45.
