Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class ryan riley | 200227-N-MZ309-1043 BREMERTON, Wash. (Feb. 27, 2020) Sailors assigned to Navy Medicine...... read more read more
Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Bremerton’s Diversity Council recognized Black History Month with a celebratory march, speeches from staff and cake cutting Feb. 27, 2020.
“This ceremony is dedicated to the commemoration of all black Americans and contributions they have made to our nation,” said master of ceremony, Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Kamal Green. “The 1963 march on Washington was envisioned by Asa Phillip Randolph, a long time civil rights activist. His vision helped define our nation of equality.”
Green explained that NMRTC Bremerton would honor activists like Randolph by performing their own march on base where Sailors and civilians would walk together regardless of race, gender, age, or religion.
“I believe it is important to honor the black Americans like myself who work here within our own walls for they too are securing that vision,” said Green.
Before the march started, Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Vincent Jackson told a story about a group of men called the Centennial Seven. These men were the only seven African Americans to command a U.S. submarine during the 20th century.
“The theme of this month is ‘honoring the past, securing the future,’ and I think it’s safe to say the Centennial Seven do just that,” said Jackson.
Jackson explained that the U.S. military became completely desegregated in 1954 and it was a huge feat for those men and African Americans like them to be in such roles.
“It is a remarkable feat to command some of the most powerful and technically advanced vessels the world has ever known,” said Jackson. “And the fact that the last member of the Centennial Seven retired only two years ago shows that these men truly bridge the gap between the past and the future.”
Following Jackson’s remarks, Sailors and civilians assigned to NMRTC Bremerton gathered together with a banner honoring Black History Month and marched together around base singing traditional songs such as “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
They concluded the march on the quartdeck with an official cake cutting lead by NMRTC Bremerton’s Executive Officer, Thecly Scott.
The observance of African American/Black History Month was established by Public Law 99-244 and runs through the month of February celebrating the contributions of African Americans to the nation.
NMRTC Bremerton supports more than 60,000 military families in West Puget Sound, shaping military medicine through training, mentoring and research to ensure a ready medical force and operationally ready force.
| Date Taken: | 02.27.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 03.02.2020 12:39 |
| Story ID: | 364293 |
| Location: | BREMERTON , WA, US |
| Web Views: | 60 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NMRTC Bremerton Celebrates Black History Month, by PO3 Meagan Christoph, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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