#FlashbackFriday: Black History Month at the Exchange

The origins of Black History Month, which began Feb. 1 and continues through March 1, date back nearly 100 years.

Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-trained historian who worked to raise awareness of African Americans’ contributions to U.S. history and culture, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. In 1925, Woodson and the association conceived and announced Negro History Week.

The week was first celebrated in February 1926, the timing inspired by the Feb. 12 birthday of President Abraham Lincoln and the Feb. 20 birthday of abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass. In response to the commemoration, Black history clubs were formed and teachers requested materials to help them instruct their students about Black history.

In this 1977 photo, two young servicemen admire a Black History Month display at the Yongsan Air Base Exchange in Korea.

In 1976, the nation’s bicentennial and the 50^th anniversary of the first Negro History Week, the celebration expanded to Black History Month. President Gerald Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Since then, every American president has issued Black History Month proclamations.

Although there are mentions of Negro History Week (later Black History Week) in the Exchange Post archives, the Exchange’s commemorations really took off after the declaration of Black History Month. Since then, Exchanges worldwide have celebrated the month with fashion shows, in-store and window displays about Black history, and more. Here are some ways Exchanges celebrated the month in February 1977:

• At Fort Bliss, Miss Black El Paso, Army Pvt. Janetta Simmons, signed autographs.
• Schofield Barracks held its fourth annual Brotherhood Week, with the 1977 theme of “Walking Together—A Time for All People.” In addition to window and in-store displays, sales associates and cashiers were encouraged to wear clothing reflecting their ethnic backgrounds.
• The Los Angeles AFS Exchange assisted in an exhibit of “Art of African Peoples,” featuring artifacts and art covering seven centuries of art and culture of African nations.
• Students at Munich American Elementary School made posters featuring historical contributions of Black Americans and outstanding Black people in the military. The posters were displayed at the Exchange’s Europe headquarters.

Below are just a handful of photos of Black History Month events at the Exchange.

Anita Paplin, visual merchandiser at the Plattsburgh AFB Exchange in 1977, poses with a Martin Luther King Jr. display she designed.

Richard Penniman, better-known as rock-and-roll pioneer Little Richard, signs autographs at the Fort Campbell PX during Black History Month in 1979. At the time, Penniman had renounced his rock-and-roll lifestyle and was a Christian evangelist. He began performing secular music again in 1984.

Black History Month 1985: COL Guion Bluford, the first Black astronaut to go into space, visits the Bitburg Exchange, where he was greeted by retail manager Emmett W. Younginer. On Aug. 30, 1983, Bluford launched into low Earth orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. Bluford flew on three additional shuttle missions, logging 688 hours in space. Now 81, he is also an Air Force Veteran of the Vietnam War, during which he flew 144 combat missions.

1993: Brig. Gen. Harold Burch (center), at the time commander of AAFES-Europe, joins the RAF Bentwaters Gospel Choir during a Black History Month performance.

Sources: Exchange Post archives; blackhistorymonth.gov; The New York Times, National Air and Space Museum