President Donald Trump followed the presidential tradition of referring to Black History Month as National African American History Month in his official proclamation.
Most modern presidents have referred to the February celebration as National African American History month in their official proclamations, although it's colloquially known as Black History Month.
Presidents Obama, George W Bush and Clinton followed the tradition.
An exception is President Reagan, whose proclamation in 1986 called the observance National Black (Afro-American) History Month.
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| Darrell Scott (right), a pastor with the New Spirit Revival Center who campaigned for Trump, praised the president for his moves on combating inner-city violence in Chicago |
The month of February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
After meeting with African-American leaders, Trump concluded that the term 'black' is outdated and the more appropriate way to refer to the communities is 'African American', a senior official told TMZ.
After meeting with African-American leaders, Trump concluded that the term 'black' is outdated and the more appropriate way to refer to the communities is 'African American', a senior official told TMZ.
Trump said the contributions African Americans have made are an integral part of society.
'Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I noticed.
'Harriett Tubman, Rosa Parks and millions more black Americans that made America what it is today. Big impact. I'm proud to honor this heritage and will be honoring it more and more', he said.
'Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I noticed.
'Harriett Tubman, Rosa Parks and millions more black Americans that made America what it is today. Big impact. I'm proud to honor this heritage and will be honoring it more and more', he said.
National African American History Month has been recognized by US presidents for 41 years, when then-President Gerald Ford expanded the week-long celebration that began as Negro History Week in 1926.
Although Trump referred to the month as Black History Month ahead of his 'listening session' on February 1 at the White House, the transcript of his speech is titled 'Remarks by President Trump in African American History Month Listening Session'.
On Wednesday, the 'listening session' was attended by African-American leaders, including Ben Carson, Trump's nominee to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development - his sole black Cabinet pick.
Leaders from the NAACP and the National Urban League were not in attendance.
Neither was Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond.
The Louisiana Democrat said the meeting was a political stunt.
'It's one thing to pose for a photo op and it's another to offer real solutions. The CBC has offered the President a number of solutions to address real problems.
'If he is serious about addressing issues in the African-American community and honoring Black History Month, he will start working with us to implement them', Richmond said.
But in the meeting, Darrell Scott, a pastor with the Cleveland-based New Spirit Revival Center who campaigned for Trump, praised the president for his moves on combating inner-city violence in Chicago.
'I was recently contacted by some of the top gang thugs in Chicago for a sit-down. They reached out to me because they associated me with you. They respect you', Scott said.
Scott said the leaders of the unnamed gangs believe in the Trump administration.
Trump said Wednesday that if Chicago cannot lower its homicide rate he will send in the feds to do so.
There were 762 homicides in 2016, the most since 1996, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Chicago is where Black History Month began. In the 1920s, Carter G Woodson, a University of Chicago alumnus, urged organizations to promote African-American achievements.
Trump pledged during his campaign to improve the lives of African American residents of inner cities.
'If you remember I wasn’t going to do well with the African-American community, and after they heard me speaking and talking about the inner city and lots of other things, we ended up getting - and I won’t go into details - but we ended up getting substantially more than other candidates who had run in the past years. And now we’re gonna take that to new levels', he said.
Exit polls showed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton received 89 percent of the African-American vote. www.dailymail.co.uk
'If he is serious about addressing issues in the African-American community and honoring Black History Month, he will start working with us to implement them', Richmond said.
But in the meeting, Darrell Scott, a pastor with the Cleveland-based New Spirit Revival Center who campaigned for Trump, praised the president for his moves on combating inner-city violence in Chicago.
'I was recently contacted by some of the top gang thugs in Chicago for a sit-down. They reached out to me because they associated me with you. They respect you', Scott said.
Scott said the leaders of the unnamed gangs believe in the Trump administration.
Trump said Wednesday that if Chicago cannot lower its homicide rate he will send in the feds to do so.
There were 762 homicides in 2016, the most since 1996, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Chicago is where Black History Month began. In the 1920s, Carter G Woodson, a University of Chicago alumnus, urged organizations to promote African-American achievements.
Trump pledged during his campaign to improve the lives of African American residents of inner cities.
'If you remember I wasn’t going to do well with the African-American community, and after they heard me speaking and talking about the inner city and lots of other things, we ended up getting - and I won’t go into details - but we ended up getting substantially more than other candidates who had run in the past years. And now we’re gonna take that to new levels', he said.
Exit polls showed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton received 89 percent of the African-American vote. www.dailymail.co.uk
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| Most modern presidents have referred to the February celebration as National African American History month in their official proclamations, although it's colloquially known as Black History Month |
