More than 1,000 invited guests jammed the Dreiser Loop Auditorium in Co-op City for Bronx/Queens Congressman Joseph Crowley’s 11th Annual Black History Month celebration, which this year featured keynote speaker former President Bill Clinton.

Less than a week after being briefly hospitalized, where stents were placed inside his arteries, Clinton would add, “People have been betting against America for over 200 years and so far everyone that’s bet against America, has lost money.”

Clinton recalled a conversation with an earthquake survivor digging through the rubble in Haiti, the man telling him, “I really have nothing else to do, my whole family was killed in the earthquake. I think the only way I can honor them is come out here and do this.’”

Offering more inspiration, Clinton concluded, “If a poor country like Rwanda, that has suffered more than we ever have, if they can do that (come back), then surely we can do this. We can understand that we must go forward together. We should support our leaders and be patient when they need more time.”

Before departing the crowd of well-wishers, Clinton added, “Face the facts, face the past, face the present and go into the future together.”