National Caribbean American Heritage Month (June): Home

In the 19th century, the U.S. attracted many Caribbean's who excelled in various professions such as craftsmen, scholars, teachers, preachers, doctors, inventors, comedians, politicians, poets, songwriters, and activists. Some of the most notable Caribbean Americans are Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the Treasury, Colin Powell, the first person of color appointed as the Secretary of the State, James Weldon Johnson, the writer of the Black National Anthem, Celia Cruz, the world-renowned "Queen of Salsa" music, and Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Congresswoman and first African American woman candidate for President.

The Institute of Caribbean Studies’ (ICS) effort to establish National Caribbean American Heritage Month (NCAHM) began in 1999 with an outreach to President Bill Clinton asking for the recognition of August as National Caribbean American Heritage Month.

A Proclamation making the resolution official was signed by President George W. Bush on June 5, 2006.