This Black History Month, NewsOne takes a look back at the top African-American moments from 2000 to 2012. Some will make you happy while others will undoubtedly make you angry and/or sad. Either way, here’s to the last 12 years of our living history. Enjoy!
Moment: Eric Holder Becomes First African-American Attorney General
With the arrival of President Barack Obama in the White House in 2009, many were newly appointed to fill the top positions for the incoming President’s Cabinet. The Administration immediately made waves with the nomination of New York-native Eric Holder, a former judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. After being approved by a large margin by the Senate Judicary Committee, Holder officially took office on Feb. 2, 2009.
Holder has been especially vital in the war on terrorism and is a known advocate of civil rights, especially protecting the sanctity of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Holder’s office also played a huge role in combating voter disfranchisement with the purposefully confusing Voter ID laws that nearly derailed the electoral process last year. The Attorney General’s time in office has been marked by both triumph and mild controversies, such as the botched “Fast And Furious” operation in Mexico that he was cleared of.
Watch Holder get confirmed as Attorney General here:
