NAS Jax celebrates African-American heritage

Throughout the mid to late-1900s African-Americans struggled for equal rights in the United States. Names such as Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X are still celebrated each February for the strides they made to attain equality for blacks. Each year, the Multi-Cultural Awareness Committee at NAS Jacksonville hosts the African-American Heritage Luncheon in recognition of African-American History month.

This year's guest speaker was Pastor Karl Hodges from the First Baptist Church of Mandarin, who has been an ordained minister for nearly five years and is also a Navy veteran. He shared his views of the journey from slavery to freedom.

"It struck me as a very broad topic … it has been a very long journey with stops and pitfalls along the way. We've seen some shortcomings, but we've also seen some super heroes of our race," he said. "For many of us here today, African-American History Month began in December 1955 when a young African-American woman would not relinquish her seat on the bus. But, for others perhaps it began long before that when the slave merchant ships arrived in Jamestown carrying precious cargo."

Master of Ceremonies AT2(AW/SW) David Genyard shared his thoughts on the luncheon. "I think people get a lot of memories from being here as well as learning a lot about the culture," he said. YN1(SW/AW) Jaquilla Barfield, a Multi-Cultural Awareness Committee member, mirrored Genyard's views. "Our goal is to just bring awareness to everyone about the different cultures we have in America and just to have a good time," she said.

CTA2 Sheena Leite performs an African-inspired dance during the African-American Heritage luncheon at the NAS Jax Officers' Club Feb. 22.

The luncheon included performances such as a vocal performance by Fleet Readiness Center Southeast employee Al Stallings and African dances by CTA2 Sheena Leite. Guests feasted on a buffet lunch of traditional soul food such as chicken, catfish, macaroni and cheese and cornbread.

Near the end of the luncheon, Lt. Kennetta Smith presented a plaque to Hodges in recognition of his contribution as the guest speaker and a trophy to African-American History Month Essay Winner IT3 Shantaye Kinlaw from the Naval Computer Telecommunications Station Jacksonville.

Rev. Michael Scott gives the benediction during this year's African-American Heritage luncheon.

Lt. Kennetta Smith and HM1 Rhonda Postell present a plaque to Pastor Karl Hodges in appreciation for serving as guest speaker during the luncheon.