Black History Month (Looking Back in Remembrance and Honor)

This is my Eulogy to all those, black men and women, who lost their lives, from the greatest to the least, during our struggle for freedom.

Today, we honor you, our Great Grandfathers, our Great Grandmothers, our Grandfathers and our Grandmothers, our Fathers, and our Mothers; our ancestors, who stood on our behalf.   So that your death would not be in vain, we stand in your name.  For those who died on the way to a place they never chose as home, for those who lived their lives in captivity.  For those who were unfairly mocked and ridiculed, for those who were wrongly accused and falsely blamed, we not only seek justice in your name, we vow that things we will not remain the same.   For those who died with the promise of 40 acres and a mule; this is an apology for your sorrows, for all the unnecessary tears you had to cry, for your disappointments, heartaches, broken promises and unfulfilled dreams.  We know there is no pain greater than the pain of unmerited contempt, so today, we declare you free from the chains that had you bound. Today, we proudly stand in your place, vowing that your memory will never be erased.   From the known to the unknown of men, we say thank you for your courage, your determination, and your strength.  Thank you for doing what you could to preserve our history.  Without you, we never would have made it to where we are today.  We salute you, our pathfinders and our pioneers to freedom.  Because of you, we can build an undeniable future.  Because of you we can possess the courage to say, “Yes, we can” and have the hope to believe we can do more than hope we can be more.  Because of you, we can be more than you ever hoped, more than you ever dreamed we could be.   To our Great Grandfathers and our Great Grandmothers,  to our Grandfathers and Grandmothers, to our Fathers and our Mothers; and, to our ancestors who stood on our behalf, today, we say thank you.  We thank you for your unwavering faith in the midst of your trials and we thank you for your perpetual fervent prayers, which continue to prevail on our behalf.   We are forever grateful for your legacy of hope and strength.