Dr. Paula B. Major, professor of Social Studies Education at the University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu, delivered remarks at a special ceremony where Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi issued a proclamation emphasizing February as Black History Month in Honolulu.
During the event on Feb. 6 at Honolulu Hale, Blangiardi celebrated the contributions of Black Americans to the history and culture of Hawai‘i and the United States.
“Black Americans have had a distinguished and tremendously positive impact on our state dating back more than 200 years,” Blangiardi said in a news post by the City and County of Honolulu Office of the Mayor. “Their stories of perseverance and bravery deserve to be shared, as does their lasting legacy on Hawai‘i and the nation.”
Major, who delivered the closing remarks at the ceremony, said during her address that America is a nation that is a constant work in progress.
“That’s why we are exceptional,” Major said. “And yes, there is a gap. There will always be a gap between who we really are and a more perfect nation. But what makes us proud Americans is that we fight wars, we pass laws, we march, we organize, we protest, we vote, and that gap gets smaller and smaller and smaller over time.
“It is that effort to form a more perfect union that marks us as a nation, as long as we keep up the good fight, as long as we do not get discouraged,” she continued.
Major concluded, “We can stand for justice, we can stand for equality — not just for the month of February, but for each and every single day. I have no doubt that little children — my children, your children, our keiki — will one day live and not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Other featured guests at the event included keynote speaker Dr. Adam Robinson Jr., director of the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System; speaker Rev. Dr. Gregory Carrow-Boyd, minister of the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu; and emcee Artie Wilson, UH basketball legend and local community leader.
Watch the full ceremony here (Major’s remarks begin at 43:19):