Earl Ofari Hutchinson
[00:00:02.17] – Speaker 1
I’m Earl Ofari Hutchinson President, Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable. Look behind me the headquarters, first Battalion, the 160th Infantry, a military facility, a major military facility in Inglewood, part of the Department of Defense. Why are we here today? Let me read this. Guidance from Pete Now, the Secretary, Department of Defense, Defense Secretary for the Department of Defense and Military, the following cultural months, no longer recognize. Right at the top, Black History Month. This is February first.
February is Black History Month. Traditionally, all government agencies, including the Department of Defense, they’ve always honored, they’ve always had a commemoration. They’ve always had celebrations for Black History Month. But now, a directive, which, of course, was inspired by Trump to the Department of Defense in all agencies because of the war by the Trump administration on diversity, equity, and inclusion, DEI. That’s part of it. No Black History Month. Then, of course, there are others, Women’s History, Hispanic Heritage, Asian American, and Pacific Islander heritage. In In other words, you’re all wiped out. But because this is February, and traditionally, Black History Month, we’re making a call on the Department of Defense, Lift the Pause on the celebration of Black History Month and the other commemorative, historic commemorative events.
[00:01:48.20] – Speaker 1
That, by the way, had traditionally been celebrated by all government agencies up to and including the Department of Defense. It’s something else. Why? The pause must be lifted and Black History Month celebrated by the Department of Defense. African Americans, from day one in the founding of America, every war, every war America has been involved with. Black troops have been on the front line in many cases. They have volunteered. They have been drafted. They have fought in every war and every battle.
Today, African Americans, one out of seven in the military, 202,000 African Americans enlisted, 20,000 African-American officers, and In other words, African-Americans are top heavy in the military, the Defense Department. Yet and still, no celebration of their accomplishments, of their history, of their contribution guns to this nation’s defense. So that’s not going to be there. So generations coming along that don’t know all of the ins and outs of African-Americans, the blood, sweat, and tears on the battlefields and the fight at home at the same time for equality, equal rights, and still treated not even as second-class citizens, but no citizens. We know all the things that blacks have been subjected to. We don’t have to have a history lesson on that.
[00:03:29.03] – Speaker 1
So even Even though the Department of Defense has put a pause on the celebration of Black History Month, we’re saying you cannot pause Black history because it’s American history. It’s intertwined in every way with America’s development growth. And of course, the magnitude of this country. The Black contribution has been central and foundational to America’s growth and development, and that includes the military. That’s That’s why we say, lift the applause on the celebration of Black History Month, especially in LA. Los Angeles is going to be many celebrations during the month of February. Now, you have the Department of Defense top heavy of African Americans top to bottom, a long tradition of celebrating African-American heritage, contributions, and accomplishments during Black History Month now just wiped out. So we’re saying, And as we have said before, Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, here’s your memo to the Defense Department, Defense Department and agencies. No, he repeats, the following culture months no longer recognize. We don’t accept that. It is recognized, will be recognized, continue to be recognized, the contributions of African Americans on the battlefield and off the battlefield, and that cannot be paused. The message from the LA Urban Policy Roundtable and many others, Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth lift the pause during Black History Month on the commemoration and celebration and recognition of Black history contributions.
[00:05:21.19] – Speaker 1
At the end of the day, Black History is American history. I’m Earl Ofari Hutchinson at a military facility challenging the Department of Defense. Lift the pause on the celebration of Black History Month. Once again, Earl Ofari-Hutchinson, President, Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable. Thanks for joining.