150222-N-SQ432-049 ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Midshipman 4th Class Ashanti Curry recites Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” during the U.S. Naval Academy’s Black History Month celebration Feb. 22. Black History Month, or National African American History Month, is an annual celebration of achievements by black Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of African Americans in U.S. history.