As Black History Month Ends, Let Us Vow to Remember

Black history month must be more than a remembrance of events, people and their descendants throughout the world. It must be a celebration of the dignity of each human life and a renewed commitment to freedom as a God-given right.

And how do we understand human freedom? According to John Paul II, one of this centuries most admired advocates of human dignity, freedom must be realized through truth and put into practice through the living of a virtuous life, understood throughout the ages as the so-called cardinal virtues:

• PRUDENCE—which must guide us to what is right
• JUSTICE—which renders to a person what is due
• TEMPERANCE—so that our inner life may be disciplined through self-control
• FORTITUDE—to pursue what is good in the face of challenges

As America concludes the celebration of black history month, we must remain dedicated to the principle of freedom that is immortalized in the Declaration of Independence and we must ensure that it is seared into the recesses of our hearts:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

We Shall Overcome (5:35)

<A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKR9k8dnySk">Play the clip on YouTube</A>

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National Park Service/U.S. Department of the Interior—We Shall Overcome	Click here to visit site
Biography.com—Black History	Click here to visit site
Association for the Study of African American Life and History	Click here to visit site
Time For Kids—Black History Month	Click here to visit site
The King Center	Click here to visit site