THE LONG LONG ROAD

It stands to reason that optimum racial equality in America has finally arrived and is decidedly here to stay. Those of us old enough to look back over our shoulders may do so with a sense of long-awaited deep satisfaction that justice and fairness seems to have at last been achieved.

The men and women we now call African Americans with duly earned respect have finally managed to grow devoid of the manifold standard slurs, except perhaps in hushed private conversations between diehard white supremacists. The insulting terms haven’t disappeared completely, and the likelihood is they won’t for maybe another half-century or so, but they no longer dominate many personal vocabularies, even when telling racial jokes.

This much overdue condition can only be described as most welcome to many of us. The question at hand, however, must be “Why on earth has it taken so all-fired long to become a life style norm among the U.S. population?” Why weren’t the terms of Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation put into real effect within a reasonably limited time period thereafter? Why did our fundamental thinking require nearly a century and a half to kick in?

A lengthy list can be drawn up of prominent persons from both races who contributed to the painfully gradual evolution which has culminated in the virtually 100% black and white social equality we know at present, and our grandchildren one day will believe was never otherwise.

We’ll begin with Thomas Jefferson, who at least devoted “lip-service” composition when writing the Declaration of Independence in 1776, while slaves toiled on his Monticello, Virginia plantation right outside his drawing room. It strikes us as somewhat inconsistent to read his words “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal” under such conditions.

Jefferson is said to have been upset and disturbed over the fact that slavery continued to remain in force. History tells us how this icon of democracy did undertake efforts for reform and abolition to some degree, but subject to constant blocking by traditionalists, even while he eventually occupied the White House for two terms. As a consequence, this situation carried on for another “four score and seven years” before anything concrete was done about it.

Lincoln, of course, comes next in the sequence, when his executive decree freed every American man, woman, and child from involuntary bondage, albeit while a civil war raged over that very issue. Still, what had now become the law of the land was considered repugnant to a great many prosperous landowners, among others.

Despite the newfound freedom, members of the black race weren’t permitted to vote until 1870, thanks to the 15th Constitutional Amendment – men only, though, since ladies from all races were forced to wait another fifty years before being allowed ballot box access.

Who, then, really made us change ever-so-gradually from a pure white supremacy outlook to an absolutely equal status in our present 21st century? The fact is, no single individual performed the transformation alone. The process was simply a little bit at a time, thanks to a further list of outright fairness exponents, as well as prominent heroes in their chosen fields.

Jesse Owens’ unprecedented track and field feats at the 1936 Berlin Olympics brought on many accolades for his performance, but all too often supplemented by such remarks as “Too bad he’s a nigger” (a direct quote made in this writer’s presence).

Joe Louis, a gentleman credited with doing much for the advancement of his race, made a name for himself during the mid-1930s by knocking out one boxing ring opponent after another within the opening round. It took him little time to become the leading heavyweight championship contender. Another remembered quote on this prospect was “We don’t want a nigger at the top”. This writer’s responsive “Why not?” produced no answer other than the implausible “Just because”.

Jackie Robinson’s signing to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers’ baseball club starting with the 1947 season became subject to the utmost ridicule. “No nigger can stand the pace” was an opinion commonly rendered. There’s no question, however, that owner Branch Rickey’s action in this respect caused as major a breakthrough of the racial barrier as the sports world or any other has ever felt.

Furthermore, no one can help but appreciate the efforts and accomplishments of the martyred Martin Luther King, plus Jesse Jackson, Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby, Tiger Woods, and perhaps the man now standing head and shoulders above the entire pack, President Barack Obama, along with others far too numerous to mention, in their respective fields. Their outstanding spirit and deeds are bound to last as long as our modern-day civilization manages to survive.

To a boy from a northern state visiting the U.S. south countless years ago, observing the four-restrooms, the separate drinking fountains, the “whites only” door signs on stores and restaurants, the stage we’ve reached today appeared extremely remote at any future date.

Even with the changes which began to be wrought just following World War II, When “coloreds” were gradually occupying houses in hitherto lily-white neighborhoods, lynchings, other racially-motivated murders, and unwarranted beatings continued throughout the deep south. Nevertheless, the eventual 180-degree movement proved itself irreversible.

Hopefully by now, the scorn has been reduced down to isolated hanging noose incidents or to simple hate mail, as sent to the likes of Hank Aaron and Tiger Woods, declaring them respectively unfit, due solely to their color, to break Babe Ruth’s career home run record or participate in the professional golfing realm.

This writer can’t avoid a sense of true gratification in noting how African Americans have become gridiron standouts throughout leading southern universities, whereas in the not too distant past, such fellows could be unwelcome campus visitors at best, and not even allowed to use the restrooms, let alone roam about outside unchallenged and possibly molested.

It remains true that the black race has produced a few so-called villains. Jack Johnson, heavyweight champion in the teen years of the 20th century, had white girl friends, a totally forbidden activity area. Singer Billie Holiday became an overly-publicized victim of drug addiction. O.J. Simpson was convicted of murdering his wife and her paramour, at least in the public eye, if not the courts. Home run record holder Barry Bonds perjured himself by denying the use of anabolic steroids.

Concert and movie singer Paul Robeson became ostracized principally due to his socialistic beliefs, but undoubtedly amplified by his color. However, the renowned Charlie Chaplin, as Caucasian as they come, was accorded the same public treatment.

So what? Every racial, religious, creed, and ethnic group has its produced its share of bad pennies. Nevertheless, our African American inhabitants can point with utmost pride to such persons as George Washington Carver, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Nat King Cole, Hattie McDaniel, Jim Brown, Muhammad (Cassius Clay) Ali, Leontyne Price, those we’ve previously cited herein, and many more for whom we’d never have the space to list completely. Almost countless blacks can now stand face-to-face and shoulder-to-shoulder with their once alleged “superiors”. In fact, it almost seems that the reasons for such unwarranted past prejudice never actually existed.

They did, however, but happily there will be no reversion to former times. We certainly hope not, anyway.

Again, though, why in blazes did all this take so long to happen?