s did not emerge out of a vacuum. the progress has been hard earned and was built on the struggles of the past. but as w eb said what is the meaning of progress? how do we measure progress? how do we acknowledge what we've achieved as a country, but acknowledge how our work is still incomplete. that's why it matters. it matters so we can understand with pride, confidence and compassion, with maturity so we can understand where we have been, how we got where we are today and where we need to go. this is a cry of responsibility. carter g woodson understood black history month as a month celebration, but a charge to make black people a central part of its narrative, to recognize we are all part of african american history. james baldwin also one stated that the great force of history comings from the fact that we carry it within us and history is present in all that we do. african american history is in us, you, me, all of us, regardless of background, embody black history. because of this, black history month must continue to live through us. this is our responsibility. all of us in this great hall have a re