The theme for 2016 is “Accelerating Health Equity for the Nation”. We invite all across the nation to join with ChesMRC and HHS Office of Minority Health to raise awareness of the health disparities that continue to affect racial and ethnic minorities and how we are working together to accelerate health equity.

Commemorated every year, National Minority Health Month is an effort to reduce health disparities and improve the health status of minority populations. National Minority Health Month received support from the U.S. Congress in 2002, with a concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 388) that “a National Minority Health and Health Disparities Month should be established to promote educational efforts on the health problems currently facing minorities and other health disparity populations.” The resolution encouraged “all health organizations and Americans to conduct appropriate programs and activities to promote healthfulness in minority and other health disparity communities.”

2016 marks the 101st year anniversary of the establishment of Negro Health Week by Booker T. Washington in 1915 to the National Minority Health Month public health program we promote today.

Check out http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/content.aspx?ID=10138&lvl=2&lvlid=21 for events featuring minority health happening in our community!