The history of the Black man is a history of honor; a
history of triumph over tragedy; a history of vigor, and
courage where anyone else would have been obliterated.
We all, all of us, share in that wondrous heritage whether
we call ourselves Black or White or anything else.
The history of the Black man is a shining history of reli-
gion, of truth, of victory.
We are all indebted, even the racist, whether he knows it
or not.
Through the pages of history and before history was re-
corded (at least in one man's opinion), the history of Black
supersedes all other histories, in age, in grace, in nobility.
Although many were forgotten, nameless, their impact was
real.
Yes, it was real.
We, all of us, owe the greatest debt and homage to the
Black men and women who defined for all men: strength,
heroism, faith, fearlessness.
And, perhaps, beyond history, among the tablets of the
golden legend, is the archetype: the Black man and woman,
forever indomitable, made clearly in His image, now with a
smile, or a tear, or a warm bosom, or a martyr's bullet.
Quaking not even when the martyr's bullet falls upon their
own warm, red bosoms, and to whom death, the legend
goes, has come and was swallowed up in victory,
