FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Black History Month celebration at the Kentucky Capitol highlighted contributions that African Americans have made to the U.S. military and the nation’s defense.

Tuesday’s event was hosted by the Black Legislative Caucus.

“African Americans have fought for the United States throughout our history defending and serving a country that initially denied them their basic rights as citizens,” said Representative Charles Booker (D-Louisville).

It included a special award presentation, Gov. Andy Beshear. Beshear posthumously promoted Charles Young to brigadier general in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Remarks were addressed to the packed crowd inside the Capitol Rotunda by legislative leaders as well as a keynote speech by navy veteran Charles Blatcher III, who is chairman of the National Coalition of Black Veteran Organizations.

Beshear hopes Kentucky can continue to carry the positive momentum in the right direction.

“It’s going to take a team to reverse years, decades, maybe even centuries of difficult policies of working to put our families first and create generational changes that break cycles of poverty,” he said.