Among them were broadcaster Tavis Smiley and investor John Rogers. The featured speaker was Dr. Cornel West of Princeton University.
"The best of the history of black folk is a love story of a people taught to hate themselves, a love story of people taught to despise themselves, a love story of people taught them they're not even worthy of being loved," West told the congregation.
The origins of Black History Month go all the way back to 1926.
