February is the month we set aside to remember that black history is American history. Whether clichéd or not, this phrase is true — and the truth deserves to be stated boldly and often.
That is the message of President Donald Trump in his recent proclamation urging all of the public to observe Black History Month. In honoring the contributions of black people to our shared national history, the U.S. Department of Agriculture pays tribute this February — and every single day of the year — to one of its greatest legacies: equality for all.
The previous administration’s contradictory approach to civil rights meant that farmers, ranchers, and those who serve them at the USDA were often judged by their race or color rather than by their character. Thankfully, that era of injustice is now over. Under Trump’s leadership, we swiftly dismantled these discriminatory policies, regulations, and funding.
Quickly clearing away this debris of inequality during the first year of the Trump administration has made it possible for us to more effectively advance the president’s proactive civil rights agenda, which focuses on merit and equal opportunity across the board. After years of neglect from our leaders, we are ushering in the golden age of civil rights.
This new era of equality is built on four pillars: 1. Combat unlawful discrimination; 2. Protect women and children; 3. Defend religious freedom; and 4. Put the United States and Americans first. As described in a department-wide memorandum we issued to communicate this vision, these four pillars are all anchored in the president’s executive orders, such as those titled Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity and Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias.
Placing equal opportunity at the center of our work returns this department to its roots. Throughout its 164-year history, USDA has served as both a steward of U.S. agriculture and a leader in advancing our nation’s core values. From addressing discrimination in farm lending to ensuring equal access to nutrition programs, USDA’s civil rights mission serves millions of people every day. By firmly grounding our civil rights work in constitutional principles and legal mandates, we ensure that everyone who does business with USDA — regardless of background — is treated equally under the law.
This golden age vision is rooted in the fundamental maxim that — in the words of the Declaration of Independence — all men are created equal. Of course, those words would ring hollow if not for the extraordinary determination of the people, including black Americans, over generations to realize them in practice.
Without a doubt, perseverance in the face of adversity has defined the black American pursuit of equality since its founding. Just consider the heroic efforts of James Forten, who became one of the wealthiest black Americans in the 19th century in the decades following his release from British captivity during the Revolutionary War. He promptly put that wealth toward supporting abolitionist and suffrage efforts in America. Our own time lays claim to modern-day inheritors of Forten’s efforts, such as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Despite growing up in segregated Georgia, he rose to prominence as one of the longest-serving and most influential Supreme Court justices ever, determined to advance the constitutional rights of all people.
Perhaps no figure in U.S. history, however, better epitomizes the story of the black experience and the legacy of triumph over injustice than Frederick Douglass. Born a slave and fleeing to freedom at the age of 20, Douglass befriended President Abraham Lincoln and reminded the nation that black Americans have always been inextricably linked to the founding and flourishing of the U.S. In 1849, he wrote in his abolitionist newspaper, The North Star, that “For two hundred and twenty-eight years … the colored man [has] toiled over the soil of America.” Naturally, USDA was honored to send a delegation of top officials to the dedication ceremony of the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month.
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This rich panoply of American heroes inspires us to repeat with conviction: black history is American history. At USDA, we are honored to carry on the precious heritage our forebears won for us. In the coming months of this year, as the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of American freedom, we will roll out even more initiatives to that end.
As we strive for greater liberty and justice for all in this golden age of civil rights, may we all join Trump in celebrating the countless black Americans who did the same throughout our history. And may we always remember that the source of our greatest strength is rooted not in our differences, but in our shared commitment to freedom under one beautiful American flag.
Devon Westhill serves as USDA Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and Dr. Alveda King serves as USDA Senior Advisor to the Secretary on Faith and Community Outreach