More than 300 service members and civilian employees gathered in Naval Air Technical Training Center's (NATTC) Charles A. Taylor hangar, Feb. 24, to celebrate African-American History Month onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP), Florida.

NATTC Commanding Officer Capt. Hugh Rankin provided the opening remarks for the event coordinated by the NATTC Diversity Council.

The event featured presentations about noteworthy accomplishments of African-Americans who have served in the United States military, along with a musical selection from the Pensacola State College Jazz Ensemble and readings from Pensacola African-American Heritage Society members.

"As an educational institution, it's important to recognize the importance education plays in every aspect of our lives," said Rankin. "This year's African-American History Month theme is 'The Crisis in Black Education.' Seventy years ago, African-Americans could only serve the Navy as stewards, and I encourage everyone to remember how far we've come as an organization in training the best young men and women -- regardless of ethnicity -- for the right jobs as Sailors in our great Navy."

National African-American History Month, also known as Black History Month, is an annual celebration of achievements by African-Americans in their struggle for freedom and a time for recognizing the central role they have played in the history of the United States.

NATTC Air Traffic Control School Instructor, Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Cierra Browne, said her presentation highlighting numerous accomplishments of African-American military personnel spanning generations can help further solidify the equality minorities serving today enjoy.

"'Success Always Leaves Footprints' is a quote from Booker T. Washington about the impact African-Americans have made, about how far we have come," said Browne. "As instructors, we're not only trying to ensure our students are learning the curriculum, but we also stress the importance of the Navy's values and equality is one of the most important lessons we all need to learn."

Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as National African-American/Black History Month. This month had its origins in 1915 when historian and author Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. This organization is now known as the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (ASALH). Through this organization, Dr. Woodson initiated the first Negro History Week, February 1926.

Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) Command Climate Specialist and Military Equal Opportunity Advisor, Master Chief Culinary Specialist Dwayne D. Beebe-Franqui, said the NATTC Diversity Council has a track record of success in ensuring the numerous diversity months are highlighted annually.

"We have thousands of students pass through our doors every year, many of them away from home for the first time and possibly coming from environments where exposure to different cultures and lifestyles was limited," said Beebe-Franqui. "The NATTC Diversity Council does an excellent job in celebrating the different cultures which all make our Navy and country what it is today."

For more than 70 years, the NATTC has been providing training and increasing readiness within the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE). The facility graduates approximately 24,700 Navy, Marine Corps, and international students annually, and is the largest training facility in the Navy post Recruit Training Command.

NATTC is part of the CNATT, which provides single site management for Navy and Marine Corps aviation technical training.

CNATT is the technical training agent for the NAE, an organization designed to advance and sustain naval aviation warfighting capabilities at an affordable cost, and is the largest training center under the Naval Education and Training Command.

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