Center’s event encourages rebuilding diversity dream

U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville
Published March 6, 2015
Huntsville Center employees sing the black national anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing" during the 2015 Black History Month celebration.

Huntsville Center employees sing the black national anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing" during the 2015 Black History Month celebration.

Rev. Patrick Clayborn, Ph.D., the pastor at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, addresses Huntsville Center’s Black History Month celebration.

Rev. Patrick Clayborn, Ph.D., the pastor at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, addresses Huntsville Center’s Black History Month celebration.

Huntsville Center Commander Col. Robert Ruch provides remarks.

Huntsville Center Commander Col. Robert Ruch provides remarks.

Local recording artist Carla McAlpine-Franklin sings "God Bless America."

Local recording artist Carla McAlpine-Franklin sings "God Bless America."

Huntsville Center's Black History Month Display contained more than 80 historical artifacts to celebrate Black life, history and culture. The display won first place in the Team Redstone Black History Month Display contest.

Huntsville Center's Black History Month Display contained more than 80 historical artifacts to celebrate Black life, history and culture. The display won first place in the Team Redstone Black History Month Display contest.

Wade Doss, deputy director of Huntsville Center's Installation Support and Programs Management Directorate introduces keynote speaker.

Wade Doss, deputy director of Huntsville Center's Installation Support and Programs Management Directorate introduces keynote speaker.

Audwin (Darrell) Davis, Director of Huntsville Center's Resource Managmeent Directorate leads prayer.

Audwin (Darrell) Davis, Director of Huntsville Center's Resource Managmeent Directorate leads prayer.

Huntsville Center's Black History Month Display contained more than 80 historical artifacts to celebrate Black life, history and culture. The display won first place in the Team Redstone Black History Month Display contest.

Huntsville Center's Black History Month Display contained more than 80 historical artifacts to celebrate Black life, history and culture. The display won first place in the Team Redstone Black History Month Display contest.

Huntsville Center celebrated Black History Month March 3 with songs, and an inspirational message from a local pastor.

Rev. Patrick Clayborn, Ph.D., the pastor at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, spoke about the dilemma of African-Americans throughout history, the impact Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had on people of all cultures and his personal struggle with racism and discrimination in America. He also stressed the message that everyone can build on King’s dream of diversity and inclusion using the prophet Nehemiah from the Bible as an example.

“Although the consequence of slavery became associated with the color black down through the ages because we were a people who were considered last, least and lost; adversity isn’t also associated with the color black, everyone has to deal with difficulty at some point in their life,” Clayborn said. “Nehemiah had to build a dream in spite of being among persons who didn’t care if the walls of Jerusalem were up or down. The world is filled with people who won’t be able to see your dream -- all the doubters and naysayers. Selma brought people together to rebuild -- not folks who don’t care if the work gets done and want to complain. If you lift your voice, others will join you. In spite of the obstacles, we must transform our minuses into pluses. Let’s develop ourselves and unite with others around a common goal to rebuild the dream. Build right where you are. Don’t stay where you start, make sure you grow. Finally, push and stretch and reach and pull till change occurs.”

Before Clayborn spoke, Reneda Kelly, of the Installation Support and Programs Management Directorate, sang the national anthem and local vocalist Carla McAlpine-Franklin sang “God Bless America.” McAlpine-Franklin sang “For Every Mountain.” Angela Morton, chief of the center’s Equal Employment Opportunity Office, along with the audience sang the black national anthem “Life Every Voice and Sing” at program’s end.


Huntsville Center Commander Col. Robert Ruch opened the program with thoughts about diversity and concluded the program with an invitation to the audience to view the Center’s African-American/Black History Month display. The display won first place in the Team Redstone Display contest.

"These programs are very important for our organization,” Ruch said. “There is a lot of diversity in the Department of Defense right now, especially with our having the first African-American president, our commander in chief, President Barack Obama in office. We have diversity in Huntsville Center because several African-Americans hold key positions at the Center and work on very important Corps programs and projects worldwide. We have to keep our special emphasis program going in order to continue to raise awareness and promote diversity within the workplace at every level."

Huntsville Center employees said they enjoyed the program.

"I really enjoyed the guest speaker and soloists. I'll take a look at the display on my way out as well. I like coming to the programs and seeing the displays to learn about and celebrate other cultures," said Tom Meier, chief of Huntsville Center's Management Review Office. "I think these programs are very important for an organization because it encourages multiculturalism. Today's event gave me an opportunity to take in another culture."

The program was sponsored by the Commander's Special Emphasis Program Committee and organized by Angela Morton and Stephanie Caldwell, both from the Center's EEO Office; Jeffrey Davis, Executive Office; Arthur Martin III. Installation Support and Programs Management Directorate; and Russell Torbett, ACE- Information Technology Office.

For more information about the Huntsville Center's EEO Office's Special Emphasis Program, please contact Angela Morton at 256-895-1573.