The Daily Egyptian has worked diligently this February to produce some of the best work this paper has written on black issues. We have already had an overwhelmingly positive response from all segments of the community. We are proud that we met the challenging promises we set forth.
Our readers benefited from learning about local legends such as Dick Gregory, the Rev. Loyd Sumner, John L. Thomas, Murphysboro Civil War veterans, Carbondale's Black Panther Party and countless others. We educated you about our progressive University within a segregated Carbondale, renewing our pride in this institution.
Unfortunately, we also heard time and time again of the challenges blacks still face here. From racial profiling to a continued segregation of Carbondale, it is clear that the voice of this community cannot be silenced just because Black History Month is over.
While we sweated through expanded coverage primarily for our readers, we the staff benefited greatly from the experience. The Daily Egyptian came to a greater understanding of the problems faced by the black community. Our editorial board benefited from some of SIU's most prominent and poignant faculty members, such as Joseph Brown, director of Black American Studies, and Seymour Bryson, vice chancellor for Diversity. We all came away with a better understanding of what black students face by discussing these issues with Kevin Buford, president of the Black Affairs Council.
The wisdom they imparted will never be forgotten by the members of the editorial board. These guests served not only as mentors who will guide our values through a lifetime of journalism, but also as living examples of why recruiting distinguished minority faculty is a necessity for students of all colors.
By making a concentrated effort that included nearly everyone in the newsroom, we learned of the rich legacy blacks have granted Carbondale and the University. Some of the things we documented this month will serve as a history book for future generations - a book that might never have been written.
One of the effects of slavery was that many black people would never know their true roots, such as what tribes birthed their families. Their perceived second-class citizenship would ensure that their history in America remained ignored for centuries.
That is why it is all the more important to tell the histories we do have. We can never close that horrendous historical hole from the past, but we can close it in the present.
What we have learned will take us far beyond Black History Month. Through researching blacks in the community and University, we gained more in all of our connected histories. Our readers benefited by our sincere recognition of these legacies of survival and fights for equality, and so did we.
But the truth is, we still have not waved the victory flag.
The Daily Egyptian will do everything in its power to keep the battle going. We will not ignore blacks in our community, their events, their needs, nor their accomplishments. We will also strive to include them in coverage that has nothing to do with race, because we recognize the African-American perspective as a valuable and essential voice for all topics.
Just as we proved to you this month, we will not shy away from touchy subjects, or issues others want to pretend no longer exist. By being bold enough to pull existing racial injustice into the light, we know we will improve not only this community, but our world.
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
