National Minority Health Month began over 100 years ago as a National Negro Health Week.  In April 1915, Dr. Booker T. Washington dispatched a letter to the leading African American newspapers, proposing the observance of "National Negro Health Week. Health was the key to progress and equity in all other things, he argued: "Without health and long life, all else fails." He called on local health departments, schools, churches, businesses, professional associations, and the most influential organizations in the African-American community to "pull together" and "unite…in one great National Health Movement."  That observance grew into what is today a month-long initiative to advance health equity across the country, on behalf of all racial and ethnic minorities-National Minority Health Month.

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