Governor Newsom Proclaims Black History Month

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring February 2024 as Black History Month.

The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:

PROCLAMATION

This month, we pay homage to the rich history and contributions of Black Americans who have shaped our state and nation in countless ways through centuries of struggle and triumph. First proposed by scholar Carter G. Woodson in 1926, Black History Month lifts up the Black experience in a fuller telling of America’s story.

This year’s theme, Black Americans and the arts, celebrates the profound and evolving impact of Black artistry on our culture, national identity, and social movements that have spanned the world over. Through literature, music, architecture, dance, film, and every conceivable medium in between, Black artists and intellectuals have used their talents to honor their heritage, educate and inspire, and open minds and hearts.

Black art has been a powerful agent of change and social uplift throughout our nation’s history. Many and varied forms of creative expression have had a pivotal role in opening new dialogues, challenging us to examine hard truths, and inspiring us to work toward something better.

During Black History Month, let us draw inspiration from this legacy as we continue together on the path toward equality, liberty, and opportunity for all. Our shared history shows us that we rise and fall together, an enduring lesson reflected in the words of Dr. Maya Angelou: “The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free.”

NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim February 2024, as “Black History Month.”

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 2nd day of February 2024.

GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California

ATTEST:
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
Secretary of State