Naval Air Station Whidbey Island held a ceremony in honor of Black History Month at the Skywarrior Theater on base last Friday.

The celebration honored 10 influential black American women and showcased their history through a timeline, from Sojourner Truth to Oprah Winfrey.

“The main focus, besides celebrating influential American women, is to motivate and inspire,” said Aviation Maintenance Administration 1st Class (AW) Christopher Elder, attached to Fleet Readiness Center Northwest, and coordinator of the celebration.

The Navy and NASWI join in African-American/Black History Month observations held each year in February. Black History Month stemmed from Negro History Week, established in 1926, by Harvard historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson and the Association for Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH).

“This month typically highlights some of our nations’ darkest hours and some of our greatest triumphs in civil rights and equality,” Elder said. “It is important to know where we have been as a nation to clearly lay out our path as we proceed into the future.”

Yvonne Y. Howard, the pastor at The City of Refuge Christian Church in Oak Harbor and retired Navy member, believes it is key to celebrate black women.

“I think celebrating women is important and celebrating the black woman who has, throughout the years, had to endure so many deliberate hardships and come out as conquerors is especially noteworthy,” Howard said.

America uses February as a time to study and reflect on the history of generations of African-Americans and their struggle against adversity to achieve equality. The Navy has achieved its own milestones as well with Lt. j.g. Harriet Ida Pickens and Ens. Frances Wills becoming the first African-American officers in the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES).

“We are no longer limited to service ratings or just to the enlisted ranks,” Howard said. “We can be who we are, who God created us to be; smart, beautiful, courageous people who have just as much to offer as the next guy.”

Today more than 123,000 active duty, reserve and civilian members of the Navy Total Force identify themselves as African-American.

“Hopefully the race and gender card will lose its complete effectiveness,” Howard said, “and we can continue on with business of mission essentials, saving lives, fighting for freedom’s sake and protecting our country.”

Yeoman 3rd Class Jelinda Hill, of Patrol Squadron (VP) 40, feels inspired by the path that previous black American women have given her.

“It gives me encouragement to dream big and go for what I’m called to do,” Hill said