"I commanded you to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; (and with the most forcible emphasis he exclaimed), the Savior may ask where have you been? What have you been doing? Have you endeavored to the utmost of your ability to fulfill the command I gave you, or have you sought your own gratification, and you own ease, regardless of my Commands?" [Farewell sermon of Reverend Lott Carey, January 1821, Richmond, Virginia].
Historically, two centuries before Reverend Jesse Jackson, major American media (even during the abolitionist movements) rarely encouraged or reported Messianic initiatives to heal and uplift "the least of us." Richard Allen, Alexander Crummell, Frederick Douglass, Henry Hyland Garrett, George Washington Williams, Vernon Johns, Adam Clayton Powell, Kwame N'Krumah, Martin Luther King, Joseph Lowry and every other Messianic disciple (including Nelson Mandella and Desmond Tutu).....
.... were roundly criticized and often hated by millions (including many of African heritage) Christians, Jews, Moslems and even Buddhists and Hindus. Yet, the challenges espoused by Reverend Richard Allen, for those willing, are still to help rescue, lift up and integrate a better generation in modern faith, health care, education and enterprise for useful lives (Dr. King said, "do not let anyone turn us around").
Keeping the faith and keeping hope alive entails a process of learning to remember what has been seen and heard --- less one be mislead by media masters like Jeff Greenfield of CNN, a self-perceived expert about matters of race in America, who recently pronounced a intentionally misleading half-truth that slavery in America existed SEVEN (7) generations ago. What he did not say was that generation #67 of African-Americans born C.E. 1980-2009, are offspring of twelve (12) generations:
-#66 (C.E. 1950-1979) Kennedy-Johnson Civil Rights Declaration
-#65 (C.E. 1920-1949) Roosevelt Rights of Man Declaration
-#64 (C.E.1890-1919) Plessy Vs Ferguson Supreme Court Declaration
-#63 (C.E. 1860-1889) Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation
-#62 (C.E. 1830-1859) Wilberforce Abolition of Slavery Declaration
-#61 (C.E. 1800-1829) Jefferson's Anti-Slave Trade Embargo
-#60 (C.E. 1770-1799) Jefferson's Independence Declaration
-#59 (C.E. 1740-1769) George II Slave Trade Market Monopoly
-#58 (C.E. 1710-1739) George I Slave Trade Source Monopoly
-#57 (C.E. 1680-1709) William & Mary Slave Trade Expansion
-#56 (C.E. 1650-1679) James II (1633-1701) slave trade sources
-#55 (C.E. 1619-1649) James I (1566-1625) colonization of America
The inference for unknowledgeable listeners was that its existence had no relevance to current attitudes and behavior, even though it was not until passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964-1965 that African-Americans were able to secure rights of full-citizenship throughout America, .... adamantly opposed by men like Senator Barry Goldwater in the name of liberty?