Press Realeses

Celebrating African-American History Month 2007

African-American History Month, a tradition for eight decades, is celebrated each February in the United States and in many countries worldwide.  The purpose is to honor the contributions African-Americans have made to all walks of national and international life and to recall important milestones in history.  Carter G. Woodson, considered to be the “Father of Black History,” chose February for the celebration because the month marks the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln, who signed the Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery, and noted abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

The Inter-School Contest in Kigali
To celebrate this important event, the American Embassy in Rwanda organized an inter-school contest among nine local schools:  Groupe Scolaire St. André, Lycée Notre Dame de Citeaux, Lycee De Kigali, G.S. APE Rugunga, Kagarama Secondary School, Centre Islamique d'Enseignement Secondaire à Kigali, CIESK, Ecole Secondaire Scientifique Islamique (ESSI), FAWE Girls School, and Institut de Formation Apostolique de Kigali (IFAK).

Students were invited to the Embassy library to peruse books, CD-ROMs, documents, articles, and Internet sites in preparation for the March 3 championship at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology. 

Mr. Michael Thurston, Deputy Chief of Mission presided over the event and presented prizes and certificates to the participants. Distinguished invitees included ministers, parliamentarians, parents, teachers and students.  The winning school received a computer.