In 1852, Frederick Douglass stood before an audience in Rochester, New York, and posed a question that continues to echo through American history: “What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?” Douglass understood something that remains true today. … Continue reading What, to America, Is the 250th Anniversary?
The circus came to town and left it in such disarray. But, you see, it was stupendous, colossal, exciting, with three rings and death-defying stunts, bearded ladies and giant rats from the sewers of Paris. It was unbelievable, just as … Continue reading The Two Minute State of the Union
“I’ll tell you what’s at the bottom of it. If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and … Continue reading The Bottom Line
Why won’t it work? The man shouted forcefully. He tried several restarts. He said Why isn’t this system working for me. After placing his appointment, all phone calls, and his rapidly cooling coffee on hold, his breathtaking displeasure and impatience … Continue reading There Is a Ghost In The Machine
The Confederacy is often remembered as a failed rebellion that ended with the Civil War in 1865. Militarily, that is true. The Confederate States of America surrendered, its government collapsed, and the Union was preserved. If we are honest about … Continue reading The Burial America Never Held
What gets carried forward from our past? What spirits follow us? What nightmares haunt us, not only in our sleep but during our waking hours? Generational trauma is a proven reality. Add to that our individual experiences with racism and … Continue reading Keeping Hope Alive
In March, my husband’s best friend and fraternity brother passed away suddenly. Mac went to the doctor for a routine procedure, and they gave him a sedative. He had an allergic reaction to the sedative and suffered a heart attack. … Continue reading First for All, Servants for All
It was early in the morning. On a cold, crisp, early spring day, with all the firefighters at the firehouse seated around the kitchen table, coffee in hand, and the sound of full-throated political and sports debates and rustling newspapers … Continue reading Time To Go To Work
“Flashback 61 years from 2026 places us in 1965, a time when the nation collectively experienced profound shock and outrage watching the brutal beatings at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, an event now etched in history as Bloody … Continue reading How Far We Have Fallen?
Three-Fifths 