America is a nation that is a constant work in progress, according to University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu Professor Paula B. Major, who delivered remarks at a ceremony celebrating Black History Month in Honolulu.
“That’s why we are exceptional,” Major said. “And yes, there is a gap. There will always be a gap between who we really are and a more perfect nation. But what makes us proud Americans is that we fight wars, we pass laws, we march, we organize, we protest, we vote, and that gap gets smaller and smaller and smaller over time.
During the event at Honolulu Hale, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi celebrated the contributions of Black Americans to the history and culture of Hawaiʻi and the U.S. and issued a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month.
“Black Americans have had a distinguished and tremendously positive impact on our state dating back more than 200 years,” Blangiardi said. “Their stories of perseverance and bravery deserve to be shared, as does their lasting legacy on Hawaiʻi and the nation.”
Other featured guests at the event included keynote speaker Adam Robinson Jr., director of the Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System; Rev. Gregory Carrow-Boyd, minister of the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu; and emcee Artie Wilson, UH basketball legend and local community leader.
“It is that effort to form a more perfect union that marks us as a nation, as long as we keep up the good fight, as long as we do not get discouraged,” Major said. “We can stand for justice, we can stand for equality—not just for the month of February, but for each and every single day. I have no doubt that little children—my children, your children, our keiki—will one day live and not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
For more visit Ka Puna O Kaloʻi.
—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman
