E Pluribus Unum

February is Black History Month. We asked our friend, Pastor Ed Robinson, who happens to be
a Black leader in his community, to share his thoughts about Black History.

First, Black History is more than a month. It’s a constant reminder of the indelible impact that
Blacks have made, not only on America, but on the world. From the filament in the
incandescent light bulb to the most recognizable house – the White House, Blacks have made
many enormous contributions to America simply to be relegated to a month

Secondly, Black History is inextricably intertwined with American History. For instance, Black
militiamen fought in the American Revolution in the Continental Army, as well as every
subsequent war, including Black women in spite of not having equal rights or liberties here at
home! Time would fail me to include the undeniable contributions made by Blacks to America
and the world in the field of medicine, law, sports, science, entertainment, religion, politics, and
business.

Lastly, as a Black man from Compton, Black History is important to me, because it provides a
platform to connect with people from a diverse tapestry to both share and receive invaluable
lessons from each other. While there’s a lot of racial polarization in our country today, I remain
optimistic about having constructive dialogue with people who don’t look, act, or thing the way
I do. As the Latin phrase on our money, “E pluribus unum” says, “Out of many, one.” Hence,
the one and only race that’s important is the human race. So, let’s all join hands together and
go twice as far!

Pastor Ed Robinson

Each day this coming week we will be following up on this topic by sending you a very brief
email with thoughts and ideas to promote and honor five Black American Heroes for their
valuable contributions to American History.