'They are and were visionaries': Kamala Harris speaks at Black History Month event
Story highlights
Thanking the community for their courage and contribution, Harris said it is on their broad shoulders that the nation now proudly stands
US Vice President Kamala Harris honoured Black history makers by calling them 'visionaries' and 'innovators' during a Black History Month event on Saturday.
Harris, is the first female, Black Vice President of the US of Asian origin. "We celebrate Black History Month in January, in March, in April, and all year round. But, yes, every February we take a time, and a more formal time, to remember and honor those who came before us," she said.
"They are and were the visionaries. They were the innovators. And why do I say 'innovators,'? Because they had the ability, in their moment in time, to see what can be unburdened by what had been. They were the innovators and, of course, the barrier breakers and, of course, the history makers," Harris said.
She honoured the contributions of Black people during the Black History Month event that was held virtually in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building by Steny Hoyer.
Mary W. Jackson, one of the ‘Hidden Figures,’ was critical to getting American astronauts into space. She broke barriers at home, persevered, and inspired the next generation of engineers, scientists, and explorers. I’m pleased to see @NASA’s DC headquarters named in her honor. https://t.co/R0eD72COHB
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) February 26, 2021
Hoyer hosted the annual breakfast to celebrate Black History Month with community leaders, elected officials and local residents.
Recalling the start of Black History Month, Hoyer tweeted, "40 years ago, I launched the #MD05 #BHM Breakfast as a way of paying tribute to Black history while looking ahead to a more joyful future. I thank @VP for participating in #BHMCelebration40 & for fighting for lasting changes in our country."
40 years ago, I launched the #MD05 #BHM Breakfast as a way of paying tribute to Black history while looking ahead to a more joyful future. I thank @VP for participating in #BHMCelebration40 & for fighting for lasting changes in our country. https://t.co/CkndNSdkga pic.twitter.com/wnD8MnjXRQ
— Steny (Wear a Mask) Hoyer (@LeaderHoyer) February 27, 2021
Thanking the community for their courage and contribution, Harris said it is on their broad shoulders that the nation now proudly stands. "They were clear-eyed about the present and what needed to be done at that moment to create the future for which they had a vision," she said. "And so they told the truth then about what they saw at the time that they lived. And they worked to build a better future, a future unburdened by what had been."
Using the analogy of a relay race, Harris talked about how the previous generations have done their best and passed on the better to their future generations, leaving the baton in "our hands, and what matters is how well we run our portion of the race".
Talking about the pandemic, Harris highlighted the great work of Dr Kizzy Corbett, a Black scientist who helped develop the Moderna vaccine against coronavirus.