The Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute appreciates feedback regarding the design of our special observance posters. We have received some comments regarding our 2010 Black History Month poster with regard to the use of the image of a cotton plant and people working in a cotton field. All comments received are provided to our illustrator for consideration in the creation of future posters. We want you to know that your comments are not ignored and are taken into consideration for the design process.
We believe if you encourage people in your organization to take a moment and analyze the 2010 Black History Month poster as a whole, they may find that it accurately reflects one way to portray this year's theme of "The History of Black Economic Empowerment." This poster is only one way out of millions of potential ways to portray the theme. We realize that not all
African-Americans were forced to work in cotton fields, but many did, and were not compensated for their work appropriately--if at all, and therefore, as emancipation took hold and the views of society broadened over the years, the opportunities for African-Americans have expanded to all levels. If you take a look at the professional occupations listed toward the top of the poster you'll also notice the first line indicates: President, lawyer, architect, legislator, and further down: surgeon, ambassador, teacher, chief executive officer, etc. so all the jobs portrayed on the watermark are certainly not unskilled laborer positions as there are plenty of highly skilled positions listed as well.
We hope this information will help you understand that the design of this poster is to compliment the theme of "The History of Black Economic Empowerment" from the time where some African-Americans toiled away with no economic empowerment to today, when possibilities are endless. We are pleased that people are pausing to consider what the meaning of the design was. It's good for all people to join together and understand and socialize the purpose of Special Observance programs (for everyone to understand each other, where we're coming from with regard to our own race, heritage, religion, etc.)
