Several of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates took to social media Saturday to share messages celebrating the first day of Black History Month.
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) shared that “America was founded on the ideals of equality, equity, and fairness—we’ve never fully lived up to them, but we’ve never stopped trying. During #BlackHistoryMonth and all year-round, let’s celebrate the rich history and culture that’s always been vital to the fabric of America.”
Biden tweeted a video of Pennsylvania State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who represents a district in North Philadelphia.
“I can’t think about Black History Month without thinking about my grandfather, Muhammad Kenyatta. In the 60s, he worked with the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party helping to register black people to vote. I often look up and hope that he’s proud,” the state lawmaker shared in the video.
“This #BlackHistoryMonth, I want to reiterate a promise: When I am president, the lessons of Black history will not be lost. Those lessons will live in every part of my presidency. And I will ask you to hold me accountable for that promise every single day,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) tweeted.
Warren also shared a video of her talking about Phillis Wheatley who was enslaved in the U.S. in 1761. Wheatley went on to become the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry, although Warren explained that she was forced to prove her writing in court.
Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg tweeted, “The Black experience shapes the American experience. I join millions across our country celebrating the many accomplishments and contributions of Black America, this month and every month.”
“It’s a month for all of America to celebrate black America,” Buttigieg said in a video he shared, “And it’s a month for all of us, mindful of privilege to renew our commitment to bringing about a future where your race has no bearing on your health, or your wealth, your access to excellent education or your relationship with law enforcement.”
Buttigieg also touted his “Douglass Plan,” a proposal named after abolitionist Frederick Douglass to increase economic prosperity in black communities and target “racist structures and systems.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) shared a photo of himself gazing at the Woolworth’s counter that was the site of a sit-in in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
“60 years later, the fight for racial justice is far from over,” Sanders shared.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick shared a video of him visiting the Islamic Society of Greater Concord in New Hampshire. He did not make specific reference to Black History Month.
Businessman and philanthropist Tom Steyer shared that Feb. 1 is also National Freedom Day, the anniversary of former President Lincoln signing the 13th Amendment into law.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) shared, “This #BlackHistoryMonth, we remember that the promise of America — for freedom, opportunity and true equality for all — has not always been a reality for many, and it is a blessing, not a burden, when we can work together to make good on that promise for every single American.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar tweeted that Black History Month honors “African Americans who have fought to break down barriers in the pursuit of equality and justice. We uplift voices continuing the fight today, and that is a commitment I make and will keep as President too.”
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg tweeted that, “We can’t reckon with our country’s past until we learn from it and face it in full. We can’t take on the injustices of the present until we’ve confronted the forces of racism and prejudice that have produced them in the past.”
He also tweeted a video discussing the attacks on “Black Wall Street” in the 1920s. In 1921, mobs of white residents attacked black residences and businesses in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Okla., in what has become known as the Tulsa massacre.
“It was one of the deadliest and ugliest attacks in American history, but like most Americans, I had never learned about it in school or read about it in history books,” Bloomberg says in the video.
Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet tweeted “As we start #BlackHistoryMonth, we remember the many Americans—from Frederick Douglass to Zora Neale Hurston to Dr. King—who fought to make this country more democratic, more fair, and more free.
“To me, they are Founders, just as much as those who wrote the Constitution. They made our union more perfect and moved us closer to the promise we wrote down more than 200 years ago,” he continued.