Is This the America We Want?

Confronting America’s Legacy and Its Future

Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington

This past week, I have been wrestling with emotions that feel more intense and overwhelming than anything I have experienced in a long time. I have known disappointment, anger, and sadness at various points in my life, but I have rarely felt heartbreak and despair to this extent. After some reflection, I am beginning to understand why.

For as long as I can remember, I have been taught—and have taught my children—the importance of integrity, empathy, fairness, and respect for others. These principles were central to the lives of my great ancestors, Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington. Their work and sacrifices went far beyond personal gain; they devoted themselves to building a more just and inclusive world for all.

Frederick Douglass fought relentlessly for freedom and justice, while Booker T. Washington championed education and economic self-reliance. Their vision for America was rooted in ideals meant to uplift their people and empower every generation that would follow. They envisioned a nation where equality and justice were not only virtues but commitments that embraced all people. “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else,” Washington once said; it is a guiding belief that speaks to the heart of his legacy.