Feb. 12 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2008

President Bush. Thank you, sir. dent Toure spoke in French, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter. NOTE: The President spoke at 10:33 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White House. Presi-

Remarks at a Celebration of African American History Month February 12, 2008

The President. Thank you all for coming. and his wife Dominique; Reverend, it’s Good afternoon, and welcome to the White good to see you. House. Laura and I are honored that you Audience member. Daughter. all came as we celebrate African American The President. Daughter. [Laughter] History Month. This is a month in which Daughter. [Laughter] I don’t get them right we recognize the many all the time. [Laughter] But thank you for who’ve made great contributions to our coming. And, Dominique, you’re sure a lot country. We honor the talent and their prettier than your father. [Laughter] courage. We renew our commitment to se- , Jr., we’re proud curing liberty and justice for every Amer- you’re here. Yes, thanks for coming. Good ican. That’s why we’re here. to see you, sir. State Representative Calvin I appreciate many of the notables who Smyre of the State of Georgia, who is the have joined us. Madam Secretary, appre- president of the National Black Caucus of ciate you coming—Mr. Secretary, Alphonso State Legislators. Sure proud you’re here. Jackson, and Marcia. Thanks for coming, Thank you all for coming. There’s a lot Mr. Secretary. Proud you’re here. of other notables here. Just consider your- If I skip some of the notables, it’s be- self welcomed. [Laughter] cause I’m going to say something about The theme of this year’s African Amer- them a little later on. [Laughter] So, Con- ican History Month is a celebration of gressman, I’ll be with you in a minute. America’s cultural diversity. It is a tribute to a scholar who deepened our appreciation [Laughter] for diversity, Carter G. Woodson. When I appreciate Dr. Leonard Haynes, who’s Dr. Woodson began his career in the early the Executive Director of the White House 20th century, most Americans knew little Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and about African American heritage. Dr. Universities. I am proud—Doc, thanks for Woodson set out to correct that. His schol- coming. I’m proud to welcome all the arship helped pioneer the field of African presidents from the Historically Black Col- American studies. And by the time he leges and Universities here today; really ap- passed away in 1950, the son of freed slaves preciate your service to the country. had become known as the Father of Black I want to thank Ron Langston, National History. Director of the Minority Business Develop- It is important for all our citizens to ment Agency; Roslyn Brock, vice chairman know the history of the African American of the NAACP. Roslyn, thank you for com- struggle for equality. We must remember ing. Somewhere you are—there you are. that the slave trade brought many Africans I thank John Fleming, president, Associa- to America in chains, not by choice. We tion of the Study of African American Life must remember how slaves claimed their HEARING and History. Yes, sir, Reverend Al Sharpton God-given right to freedom. And we must with

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remember how freed slaves and their de- . He organized free- scendants helped rededicate America to the dom rides and sit-ins and voter registration ideals of its founding. drives. One Sunday in 1965, he set out Our Nation has come a long way toward to lead a march from Selma to Mont- building a more perfect Union. Yet as past gomery. The marchers never made it past injustices have become distant memories, the rows of State troopers outside Selma, there is a risk that our society may lose but their message made it all the way to sight of the real suffering that took place. Washington, DC. Five months later, Con- One symbol of that suffering is the noose. gress passed the Voting Rights Act. And Recently, there have been a number of more than 40 years later, con- media reports about nooses being dis- tinues to inspire us, and we’re blessed to played. These disturbing reports have re- have him here today. sulted in heightened racial tensions in many William Coleman has lived a life of many communities. They have revealed that some firsts. After graduating first in his class from Americans do not understand why the sight Harvard Law School, he went on to be- of a noose causes such a visceral reaction come both the first black American to clerk among so many people. on the Supreme Court and the first to hold For decades, the noose played a central a Cabinet post in a Republican administra- part in a campaign of violence and fear tion, as Secretary of Transportation under against African Americans. Fathers were President Gerald Ford. William Coleman dragged from their homes in the dark of has also helped open doors of opportunities the night before the eyes of their terrified for others. He worked alongside Thurgood children. Summary executions were held by Marshall, father of this good man, on the torchlight in front of hateful crowds. In legal team that triumphed in Brown versus many cases, law enforcement officers re- Board of Education. This ruling exposed sponsible for protecting the victims were the fallacy of separate but equal, and it complicit in their deeds, and their deaths. helped return America to the great truth For generations of African Americans, the that all men are created equal. For this, noose was more than a tool of murder; we owe William Coleman our lasting it was a tool of intimidation that conveyed thanks. We’re honored to have you today, a sense of powerlessness to millions. sir. The era of rampant lynching is a shame- Three years after Brown versus Board ful chapter in American history. The noose of Education, nine students in Little Rock is not a symbol of prairie justice but of stepped forward to test the Supreme gross injustice. Displaying one is not a Court’s ruling. On September 25th, 1957, harmless prank. Lynching is not a word Federal troops escorted them into the city’s to be mentioned in jest. As a civil society, all-white Central High School. Once inside, we must understand that noose displays and the were spit on, har- lynching jokes are deeply offensive. They assed, and called names. One of the stu- are wrong, and they have no place in Amer- dents was a senior named Ernest Green. ica today. As graduation day approached, some sug- This afternoon we honor four Americans gested it might be safer for Ernest to re- who understand what this symbol rep- ceive his diploma in the mail. Many people resents and who are leading the way toward would have taken his—this advice. Not Er- ending racial injustice across our land. nest Green. In May of 1958, Martin Luther Congressman John Lewis earned his King, Jr., was on hand to watch Ernest place in history long before winning a seat become the first African American to grad- in the United States Capitol. As a young uate from Little Rock’s Central High HEARING man, he became one of the leaders of the School. We’re honored to welcome Ernest with

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Green to the White House during the 50th tations has given countless Americans sun- anniversary—[applause]. shine on a cloudy day—[laughter]—and we And finally, as a young boy, Otis Williams cannot help ourselves from loving them. remembers his mother packing food for [Laughter] their move from Texas—oh, what a tragic Throughout American—African Amer- mistake—[laughter]—to Detroit. She did so ican History Month, we remember how in- because restaurants along the route refused dividuals, African American leaders of all to serve African Americans. In Detroit, Otis kinds, helped bring our Nation together. Williams grew up to become the leader We recognize our Nation still has a long of one of the most successful vocal groups way to go. But in the example of the lead- in the history of our country, the Tempta- ers like those we honor today, we see tions. This group has recorded 37 top 40 strength greater than any division, and we singles, including 4 number-one hits on the see hope for a day when freedom rings pop charts. Their success paved the way from every mountainside and every corner for other African American artists. Their of the country. melodies continue bringing Americans of all And now it is my great pleasure to intro- races together to this day. duce the Temptations. Otis can remember performing in a venue in South Carolina where blacks and whites in the crowd were separated by a NOTE: The President spoke at 3 p.m. in the barrier. The next year when the Tempta- East Room at the White House. In his re- tions returned, the racial divide was gone. marks, he referred to Secretary of State As Otis once put it, quote, ‘‘The highest Condoleezza Rice. The related National Afri- achievement for me has been to have our can American History Month proclamation music penetrate all kinds of barriers, for of January 28 is listed in Appendix D at the it to be colorless.’’ The music of the Temp- end of this volume.

Statement on Senate Passage of the Intelligence Reform Legislation February 12, 2008

After a full debate, the Senate today cast nies who have been sued for billions of a strong, bipartisan vote in support of legis- dollars only because they are believed to lation that will ensure that our intelligence have done the right thing and assisted the professionals continue to have the critical Nation after the September 11th terrorist tools they need to protect the Nation. attacks. This good bill passed by the Senate pro- I commend Senators from both sides of vides a long-term foundation for our intel- the aisle who came together to pass this ligence community to monitor the commu- important bill. I thank Leaders Reid and nications of foreign terrorists in ways that McConnell and the leaders of the Senate are timely and effective and that also pro- Intelligence Committee, Senators tect the liberties of Americans. It will keep Rockefeller and Bond, for finishing work closed dangerous intelligence gaps that on this bill. Today the Senate demonstrated threatened our security. And this bill im- that protecting our Nation is not a partisan proves on the Protect America Act passed issue. last summer by providing fair and just li- The House of Representatives now has HEARING ability protection to those private compa- an opportunity to put aside narrow partisan with

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