In honor of Black History month

Kenyon and I recently rented (meaning we checked it out of the library) a movie in honor of the first Black fighter pilots - the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII.

It's a great movie about struggle and triumph, about character and will. It also highlights some of the predjudices in our society that made their story one for the record books...things like a black man doesn't have the mental capacity to fly an airplane in combat - medically proven by doctors, of course.

The best part about this success story is that it is true. To find out more click here.

Recently I had a white man from the south ask me why Obama winning the presidency was such a big deal, why all the buzz? I didn't have the time nor the desire to explain to him about the centuries of struggle the Black race has gone through trying to win equality. I did mention because it is iconic, it symbolizes something much bigger than one man. His winning the presidency is a beacon of hope to generations that follow that anything is possible with a little work. It's been a long time since there was a positive role model to look up to, and now there is a man who hardly knew his father, lost his mother and was essentially raised by his grandmother (not too uncommon), but his story didn't end there. He didn't join a gang, he didn't go to prison, there aren't stories of him womanizing. He is a father, a husband and the president of the United States - he is respectable, he speaks eloquently, he earned an education. Though, I don't agree with most of his politics I pray he brings hope to a generation starving for positive role models.

In honor of Black History month, are there other role models worth celebrating? Please share their story.