With each January that rolls around since the institution of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Birthday Holiday, African-American citizens are presented with a precious and rare opportunity to reflect on the status of race relations in the years since America supposedly turned from it’s wicked ways. 

Perhaps the most important national memorial ever to be conferred on an African American citizen is the national holiday in King’s honor, designated by the Congress of the United States in 1983 and observed on the third Monday in January, a day that falls on or near King’s birthday of January 15. 

While the historical importance of Dr. King in and of itself is indisputable, it is equally important that this day be regarded as an opportunity for every black citizen to reflect on the continuing struggle for social and economic justice.

It has been 387 years since the first slaves landed at Jamestown, Virginia;
143 years since President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation;
143 years since Congress established the Freedman’s Bureau in 1865 to help Freed Slaves; 
52 years since the May 17, 1954 “Brown vs Board Of Education Decision,”  which was a major landmark decision that opened not only the school-house doors, but paved  the way for sweeping changes in the way Black citizens were treated across America. 42 years since President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964;
41 years since President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the 1965 Voting Rights Act. 

The list could go on… there’ve been hundreds of  law suits,  congressional action, and Presidential initiatives undertaken to secure full and equal protection of constitutional rights of  black citizens.  With all the litigation, legislation, confrontation, black folks ought to have realized  not to have a care in the world.   We ought to be satisfied.   
Sadly, many African-Americans throughout the immediate area have the mistaken belief that they are.  

During January, when we observe Emancipation Proclamation, and later on the King Holiday.  Throughout February, we will be celebrating African-American History.  We can hear the trite, worn-out cliché’  ringing from churches all over the area…. “Chile, we’ve come a long ways….”    

But, have we really?

I submit that what many of us see as equal opportunity is nothing more than a façade.  Superficial, white-washing of the real deal, while a terrible undercurrent still threatens  to undermine all of the fore-mentioned achievements.

Copyright 2006 by Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson
This article was composed and written by Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson, and appeared in the January, 2006 edition of The People’s Voice African American Weekly News (http://www.peoplesvoiceonline.com/).   This article may be reprinted with permission from the author:
Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson
email:  caclarkfrieson@msn.com
322 Wilkie Clark Drive
Roanoke, Alabama 36274
334-863-4885
334-338-1149