EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Eielson has a number of events scheduled in observance of February's African-American Heritage Month. It's a time to celebrate the culture and traditions as well as acknowledge the struggles, triumphs and contributions of African-Americans.

There is an array of possibilities to honor, celebrate and learn, from a soul food tasting and Poetry Night to kick-off Eielson's festivities, to the luncheon scheduled toward the end of the month.

Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926, first as "Negro History Week" and later in the 1960's as "Black History Month." The celebration of what is currently referred to as African-American Heritage Month, and more importantly, the study of black history, is owed to Dr. Carter G. Woodson. 

The son of former slaves, Dr. Woodson spent his childhood working in the Kentucky coal mines. Enrolling in high school at age twenty, he graduated within two years. Dr. Woodson went on to earn a Ph.D. in history from Harvard, and became the second African American to earn a Harvard Doctorate. 

He was disturbed to find in his studies that history books largely ignored the black American contributions to society, and when blacks did figure into the equation, it was generally in ways that reflected their inferior social positions. 

Convinced that the role of his own people in American history and in the history of other cultures was being either ignored or misrepresented among scholars, Woodson realized the need for research directed into the neglected past of African Americans. 

Dr. Woodson decided to take on the challenge of writing black Americans into the nation's history. He established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, now called the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, in 1915, and a year later founded the widely respected Journal of Negro History. 

In 1926, he launched Negro History Week as an initiative to bring national attention to the contributions of black people throughout American history. Dr. Woodson chose the second week of February for Negro History Week because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the black American population, Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. 

While Dr. Woodson is now a part of history, history was recently made when America elected the first African American as the 44th President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama.

The diversity of his background, a white mother from Kansas and an African father from Kenya, is representation of the multicultural diversity imbedded into the fabric of our country. Sharing the history and contributions of ethnic groups builds tolerance and erodes stereotypes. History is exactly what it says... his/her story; a continuous, systematic narrative of past events as relation to a particular people, country, and/or period.

While some may argue that it is wrong to teach or understand a culture separate from the general view of American history, a stage must exist to allow all truths to be known. Although this month we celebrate African American Heritage, May brings Asia Pacific Heritage Month, later this year Hispanic Heritage Month. 

The rich variety of cultures in America is plentiful and the contributions are many, take the time to listen, learn and grow.

Eielson's African-American Heritage Month schedule of events is as follows:

Feb. 6 - Food Tasting 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Base Exchange 

Feb. 6 - Poetry Night 8 p.m. to midnight at the Yukon Club 

Feb. 18 - Fish Fry 11 a.m. at the base chapel (Advanced-ticket sales)

Feb. 22 - Gospel Celebration 3 p.m. at the base chapel

Feb. 25 - African American Heritage Luncheon 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Yukon Club where Chief Master Sgt. (ret) Gary G. Coleman, former Command Chief Master Sergeant, United States Air Forces Europe, will be the guest speaker (Advanced-ticket sales)

Please be sure to look on the Eielson Website at www.eielson.af.mil and in the base newspaper for details on the various events. For questions or more information contact Staff Sgt. Shanequa Cox, African American Heritage Committee chairman, at 377-6503.