260205 BLACK HISTORY MONTH.PDF

WHEREAS, 
Black History Month is a month-long celebration honoring the too-often 
neglected accomplishments and contributions of Black Americans 
throughout this nation’s history; and  
WHEREAS,  
Each year, February is dedicated to the recognition and celebration of 
Black history, initially as a week chosen by historian Carter G. 
Woodson, known today as the “Father of Black History”, and formally 
recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976 as a month-long 
commemoration of the profound cultural, scientific, and artistic 
contributions of Black Americans; and  
WHEREAS,  
Despite the formal designation of this celebration, it is imperative to 
remember that the struggle and injustice faced by Black Americans 
persists, to which we must remain vigilant in acknowledging and 
addressing the past, illuminating policies and programs in need of 
reform and change; and  
WHEREAS,  
Organizations such as the All God’s Children Collector's Club (AGC), 
the African American Advisory Committee (AAAC) and the Tempe 
Black Employee Alliance, among many others, have bravely and 
passionately educated the Tempe community on Black history and 
excellence, elevating the rich cultural tapestry of Tempe since 1995 and 
thereby allowing for the ability to hold space for each other at difficult 
times; and 
WHEREAS, 
In the oft-cited words of Reverend Theodore Parker, echoed by Reverend 
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Barack Obama, “The arc of 
the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”; and 
WHEREAS, 
This month and every month, the City of Tempe shall honor the history 
of Black Americans, recognize their boundless contributions, and 
continue to celebrate multiculturalism and diversity in an ongoing 
mission to make our City a more equitable and just community for all.  
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Corey Woods, Mayor of the City of Tempe, Arizona, do hereby declare: 
February 2026 
as 
Black History Month 
in Tempe, Arizona 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  
I hereunto set my hand this 
6th Day of February, Two 
Thousand and Twenty-Six. 
 
 
 
Corey D. Woods