Joint Base Lewis-McChord hosted a black history month celebration on JBLM-North this week. I Corps and Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) co-sponsored the event, which was held at the North Fort Chapel and was the culmination of over three months' planning according to Staff Sgt. Misty Jackson.

"We worked so hard to make this happen," said Jackson. "It was important."

The first guest speaker was LTC (Ret.) Frankie T. Manning, R.N., and M.A.N., who is currently the nurse executive for VA Puget Sound. She told of the many African American veterans she has come in contact with who are still so proud and grateful to the military for allowing them to serve. Specifically she told a story of a young woman who joined the Army and proceeded to establish herself as a nurse and secure her family financially.

"Without the military, she wouldn't have had those opportunities years ago," Manning added.

In-between speakers, the Jerusalem's Gate group performed traditional gospel music to rouse the large audience, which included numerous soldiers, I Corps acting commander BG Jeff Mathis, MAMC commander Col. Jerome Penner and Joint Base Garrison CSM Matt Barnes.

Reverend Maurice Wright Sr., vice president of the Tacoma NAACP chapter, spoke about how that organization has contributed to the development of black economic empowerment, which was the overall theme of JBLM's event this year.

"As long as the ‘isms' keep raising their ugly heads - be it sexism, racism, genderism or any of them - the NAACP will be necessary and will continue to work to help people in need," said Wright.

Southern Kitchen restaurant of Tacoma provided a sumptuous tasting for all attendees following the formal program while the Afro-World fusion group Maya Soleil and Global Heat performed. The six-member troupe combined vocals, instrumentals and various ethnic influences to entertain the hungry crowd.