ST PAUL, Minn. — The month of February has long been a time to celebrate and honor Black history across the U.S., but on Monday Gov. Tim Walz made it official in Minnesota.
Walz issued a proclamation declaring February to be Black History Month in Minnesota. Black History Month will encourage all Minnesotans to "reflect on our collective past, and reveal its impact on present conditions," according to the proclamation.
"The history of Black Americans in this country is a part of the history of our nation, and our history is what shapes us," the proclamation reads. "We must acknowledge and pay tribute to the generations of individuals who struggled with adversity and risked their lives for justice to fight for something that seems impossible to win, and to those who continue to fight for equality and the American Dream."
Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard scholar, established the "observance of African American History" in 1926 and is known as the Father of Black History. It's his celebration week that later led to the full month that is now observed across the country.
Walz said in the proclamation that Minnesota can work together as a state to "guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals."