Shawn Casselberry's Blog
Living History / Feb 7, 10:26 AM
February is Black History Month. Living in a big city like Chicago, you see Black history jump off the pages of history books. Over the last few years, I have been able to see dynamic leaders who have contributed greatly to Black History. I saw Jesse Jackson Sr., leading a march for equal school funding in downtown Chicago. I have witnessed a persistent John Perkins calling for Christians to be involved in holistic community development in urban communities across the country. I heard Marian Wright Edelman of the Children’s Defense Fund speak passionately about healthcare for all children and an end to the cradle-to-prison pipeline. I saw U.S. Representative and former chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) John Lewis talk about his personal involvement with King and the Civil Rights struggle. Last year, I saw Senator Barak Obama announce his bid for the presidency at University of Illinois-Chicago. I have been marveled by the prophetic passion and insight of Dr. Cornel West as he exposed the moral and political indifference to injustice in our country. I was challenged last month when former Black Panther and political prisoner Angela Davis called for prison abolition and a new generation of young people to lead a revolution of change.
While preparing to hear Dr. Cornel West at St. Sabina’s Church on the Southside of Chicago, Father Pfleger told a group of young people that their greatest education will not come from schools or universities. He said, “Your greatest education will happen listening to the stories of the older generation who have gone before us.”
I believe he’s right. My education in Black History has not come primarily from books or classes, but witnessing the living histories of influential Black leaders from the Civil Rights struggle to those struggling for change today. I look forward to continuing my education.
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