45 years from today: what's ahead for Blacks and Whites? - Looking Forward - 45th Anniversary Edition

Ebony, Nov, 1990 by George Bush, Jimmy Carter, Colin Powell, L. Douglas Wilder, Coretta Scott King, Bill Cosby, Dorothy I. Height, Jesse Jackson, Cardiss Collins, Ronald H. Brown

45 YEARS FROM TODAY

What's Ahead For Blacks And Whites?

Looking back and forward, we asked outstanding Americans, Black and White, to tell us what America will look like racially 45 years from today, and what dreams and hopes they have for America and Black America. Here are their dreams and hopes.

By President George Bush

WHEN I returned from World War II 45 years ago, the year EBONY was born, it was virtually unheard of for a Black American to own a national magazine. Black veterans returned to a nation in which, in some places, segregation was mandated and "separate but equal" was still a fact of life for many. Nevertheless, one young Black man dreamt of a better America, of an America where he would overcome such barriers. With a $500 loan, using his mother's furniture as collateral, John Johnson bought and began what has now become the largest Black-owned publishing company in the world. It is a testament to his resourcefulness and determination that he overcame those barriers.

In 1945, many Black Americans were systematically denied basic civil rights, the right to vote, to attend the school of their choice, to sit in the front of the bus and to live in the neighborhood of their own choosing. In the almost half century since, Black men and women like A. Philip Randolph, Rosa Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., struggled and even died to ensure that these rights, guaranteed all Americans by the Constitution, would be upheld.

Through their determination and faith, doors opened and progress was made. The Supreme Court struck down school segregation in Brown v. Board of Education. The University of Mississippi opened its doors to Blacks. Public transportation was integrated. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act became law, and was soon followed by voting rights and open housing legislation. The singular courage of a few had become a revolution of thousands--the Civil Rights Movement.

Through the efforts and sacrifice of many, the promise of this movement is finally being fulfilled. Today, many Black men and women hold prominent positions in government, business, education and the arts. Black Americans are cabinet members, governors, authors and astronauts. From Dr. Louis Sullivan, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, to General Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Virginia's Governor Douglas Wilder--all are adding their own chapter to the proud story of Black courage and achievement in this country. Marva Collins continues her teaching in Chicago, Toni Morrison is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and Dr. Mae Jemison is an astronaut in training in Houston. These Americans have overcome barriers--barriers of poverty and discrimination--and their determination to succeed is truly inspirational.

Not long ago, I spoke to the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies about the legacy of freedom in this nation, and on my hopes for the future. I told them that the day will come--and it is not far off--when the legacy of Lincoln will finally be fulfilled at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue--when a Black man or woman will sit in the Oval Office. When that day comes, the most remarkable thing about it will be how naturally it occurs. He or she will be another President, another traveler in the continuum of freedom, representing all the people of America, representing all that is best about America.

As I look toward that future, I am optimistic. I see a country far less conscious of race and intolerant of the racial barriers that have too often divided us. Yet, even as we rejoice in the successes, in the progress achieved, we still see bigotry and racism. That is something we will not tolerate in any form. I hope and pray for the day when, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., all people are judged "not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Strongly enforcing our civil rights laws will continue to be critical in our efforts to ensure equality in this country. To me, civil rights are not just a matter of social policy but are fundamental to our belief in the inherent equality of all men and women. No American is truly free from the poison of intolerance and hatred when the rights of one individual are threatened.

But past decades have also shown that it is not enough just to fight bigotry. We must create opportunity. The lives of the disadvantaged are affected by economic as well as social and legal barriers. Equal opportunity means that each American must have the chance to move beyond all barriers to self-reliance and success. We must strive to create a society and a government which seeks, in the words of Dr. King, "to afford all an unfettered start, and a fair chance, in the race of life."

To secure this fair chance, we must first ensure that our young people get a first-rate education. That means giving them and their parents more choice in their education. Education engenders dignity and self-respect, for education is more than schooling. It is nothing less than the communication of values. It is the strong foundation upon which our children can build their own futures. Quality education is the best way we can prepare our young people for the opportunities of tomorrow and the challenges of the next century.