Bush Celebrates African American History Month

New York subway hero Wesley Autrey was honored by President Bush yesterday alongside prominent black sports, cultural and political figures at the White House yesterday.

Autrey, 50, a construction worker who achieved nationwide fame for his death-defying rescue of a Boston man who had fallen off the subway platform, was invited back to the White House by Bush to help celebrate African-American History Month.

"We're proud you are here again," Bush told Autrey, who was one of Bush's guests of honor at the State of the Union Address last month.

"We thank you for your courage. We thank you for your commitment to a life of a stranger. What a wonderful example you set for young and old, black, white, anybody in the United States of America," Bush said.

Autrey, a Navy veteran who wore his uniform to the event, embraced the president and waved as the crowd in the White House East Room cheered.

Other White House honorees included baseball greats Jim "Mudcat" Grant, Ferguson Jenkins and current Florida Marlins star Dontrelle Willis. The East Room
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