The colonies had recently been subjected to rule by a monarch, by dictate, and had lacked the freedom to make decisions for themselves, by themselves. The overriding concern now was, how would they subsequently be governed?

The dominant aspect contributing to the charge of extant racism in America today is based on this unrecognized fact: Most of the people clamoring about “racism” have no idea what they are talking about. Truth is, they simply don’t know what real racism is. They are focusing on something I call virtual racism.

It’s little wonder, then, that President Obama seeks to associate himself with this great man at every possible turn. Even so, in terms of worldview, political philosophy, integrity and honorability, the two men are as north to south. Their similarities both begin and end with an Illinois mailing address.

A perennial question for me is: “What steps must be taken to eradicate the specter of racism from our nation?” Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws were deemed very important as the ‘60s unfolded and the ‘70s paved the way for enormous economic gains for blacks.

The media have always known that African Americans are deserving of Reparations, however they have ignored this fact and chose instead to use the power of the pen and visual media to distract Americans from this reality.

Black History remembrance began as Negro History Week in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, a son of former slaves. The second week of February was chosen in honor of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln (both born in that week), and in 1976 the entire month was declared Black History Month.

During this my 65th year of being, Black History Month is a time to remember from whence we came, what we went through, what we have achieved and where our promise lies. My mother used to leave me exasperated referring to us as Colored People; until I found my birth certificate and appreciated that I was listed as Colored.

Has Black History Month met its end with the re-election of Barack Obama? One could make a solid case for calling a halt to the month of February as an official celebration of the achievements of Black Americans, since many of the injustices of the past have died away along with the perpetrators.

Woodson created Negro History Week because black Americans and their accomplishments were largely left out of the educational curricula of that time. Where blacks were mentioned, it was usually very demeaning imagery or discriminatory ideas.

Had he not been cut down in his prime, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would now be 84 years old. He was undeniably a beacon of hope and a pillar of light in the midst of the dark and evil times in which he lived.