The President: My fellow Americans, as Black
History Month 2017 comes to a close.
I am very grateful for the many wonderful opportunities to
honor African American heroes, faith leaders,
entrepreneurs, and the many others who changed
the course of our nation.
We are blessed by the lives and examples of
those who have made this nation of beacon of
freedom, talent, and unbreakable
American spirit.
This week I had the privilege of visiting The
Nation Museum of African American history and
culture right here in Washington D.C. It's a new
beautiful Smithsonian Museum that serves as a
shining example of African Americans incredible
contribution to our culture, our Society,
and our history.
It also tells of the great struggle for freedom and
equality that prevailed against the sins of
slavery and the injustice of discrimination.
The work and love the people who help create
such a masterpiece is a testament to the legacy of
so many leaders it honors.
I left that museum confident that together
America can overcome any challenge.
there's a great quote by Mohamad Ali in the museum
"I shook up the world."
He said.
And that's what he did.
So did leaders like Sojourner Truth, Frederick
Douglas, Booker T Washington, Martin Luther
King and so many others.
They shook up the world for the better, because
they inspired our nation to march toward justice
and freedom for all.
Today and everyday I pledge to continue that
march so that every American no matter his
background, no matter her background has the chance
to climb that great ladder of success.
It was very special to accompany Dr. Ben Carson
and his family for the first time seeing the
Carson exhibit.
I am proud that soon he will serve in my cabinet
as the secretary of housing and
urban development.
HUD has a very very powerful meaning, far
beyond housing.
Its about transforming our communities about bringing
back hope, and Ben will do a fantastic job.
That what im committed to doing also, I want every
African American child, family, and worker to have
access to great schools, safe communities and
good paying job.
I want every disadvantaged child in America to have a
choice on where they go to school.
So Important.
I also want to honor and promote the achievements
of historically black colleges and universities
throughout our nation.
They do a fantastic job.
They're not given the credit that they deserve.
And they're gonna start getting that credit.
In order to help African Americans thrive were
working very to make that every child can grow up in
a safe community and have
access to high paying jobs.
We've lost a lot of our best jobs to other
countries and this has hurt the African American
community very badly.
This week I met with manufacturing CEOs were
going to be working to bring back those jobs, and
I mean really good paying jobs.
Ill be talking more about these issues in my joint
session address to congress and to all
Americans next Tuesday evening.
I hope you will be watching.
Thank you, God bless you.
And God Bless America.