Hagan Marks Beginning of Black History Month by Honoring Montford Point Marines


Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (NC) today marked the beginning of Black History Month by honoring our nation’s first African American Marines (based out of Montford Point, North Carolina).

“Black History Month is an opportunity to honor the legacy and contributions of African-Americans to our country and to North Carolina,” said Hagan. “Our state was and is home to some of the civil rights movement’s most storied leaders, including four brave young North Carolina A&T students who sparked a wave of sit-ins fifty-two years ago today when they peacefully occupied the downtown Greensboro Woolworth’s. North Carolina has ten Historically Black Colleges and Universities – more than any other state in the nation, and I remain committed to supporting those institutions at a federal level so we can continue our state’s strong history of trailblazing Africa-American leaders.”

Of the Montford Point Marines, Hagan said in The Root.com story:

“The thousands of African-American Marines who served at the segregated Camp Montford Point in the face of injustice and intolerance are nothing less than heroic trailblazers. They blazed a trail in our armed forces, they blazed a trail for African-Americans and they blazed a trail for civil rights. I was proud to lead the effort to award the Montford Point Marines with a long-overdue Congressional Gold Medal, and I am honored to again recognize their achievement during Black History Month. The Montford Point Marines’ bravery will not be soon forgotten.”

For a photo of Senator Hagan with Montford Point Marines at the Iwo Jima Memorial on the 236th Anniversary of the Marine Corps, please click here.

For video of Senator Hagan discussing the Montford Point Marines Congressional Gold Medal legislation on MSNBC, please see below: