Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday

Today, Greensboro celebrated what would have been the 81st birthday of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. I was at the parade in Greensboro today to take pictures for the Rhino. It's the first time I've done so, and I found it surprising that so few white people came to watch.

I think Rev. King would have been disappointed that in the nearly 50 years since he gave his "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington, D.C., there is still such a separation between races.

And yet, African-Americans have come a long way. This country elected an African-American president, Barack Obama, in 2008. That, indeed, is a dream come true. While poverty is still a major issue in the black community, African-Americans are now found in all corners of business and politics. I don't have the percentages of, say African-Americans in government, but when looked at from the perspective of the percentage of the American population as a whole, I think they have done fairly well. In 2000, the percentage of African-Americans in the U.S. population was 12.3%. When you think about it, out of 300 million people, that's a relatively small number. A census will be taken this year, so more accurate figures will be forthcoming.

I wonder what it would have been like if Rev. King hadn't been murdered back in 1968? Would people be judging others by the "content of their character" rather than the color of their skin? Or, is it human nature to look on the outside first? I think it's human nature. Our first judgment about anyone of any race is outward, because we can't know a person's character until we have spent time with them. We need to spend time with each other.

There is hope for the future. Racism is taught, and if we don't teach it, it will fade and die. I know my children don't share the same prejudices that I grew up with, and I can only hope that I have set a good example for them. They, in turn, need to set a good example for their children. The song from the Roger's and Hammerstein musical "South Pacific," talks about how people learn hatred of others - "You Have to be Carefully Taught." How true. That song was written in 1949, and although it was not written about African-Americans per se, the message still holds true.

I also had some good conversation with one of my fellow photographers who was also covering the parade. He's African-American and was able to fill me in on the neighborhood as well tell me who many of the people and groups were that marched in the parade. It was a good day.