Black History Month offers time for reflection, reconciliation

It has been 80 years since a Black man was assaulted and lynched in Sikeston, Missouri. Recently, an event was held in the city to remember the horrific events surrounding the death of Cleo Wright.

For many years this was a topic not spoken about, Sikeston native Harry Howard told our sister publication the Standard Democrat. "It's like if we don't talk about it, it didn't happen," he said. But it did.

Wright was arrested Jan. 25, 1942, for allegedly assaulting a white woman. He was shot several times by a city marshal during the arrest, but the hospital would not treat him due to his skin color. He was taken to jail where a mob took over and drug him through the streets, burning his body in front of two Black churches.

Howard told the Standard Democrat that times have changed and conditions have improved over the years.

"It's so much better -- not only with housing but educational opportunities," Howard said, noting there are several Black Sikeston residents today who are prominent physicians and educators.

He also said the purpose of the recent event was not about recalling the details of the event but to remember and reconcile.

Another example of the plight Black people faced was recently shared at the Southeast Missouri State University Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Dinner.

Judge Brian S. Miller, a federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, spoke about his upbringing in Helena, Arkansas.

In 1919, four of Miller's great uncles were killed in the Elaine Massacre, an event that saw mobs of white Americans murder what has been reported to be more than 200 Blacks. It was a traumatic experience that led Miller's grandfather, Robert Miller, 13 at the time, to be sent to boarding school in Boston. He would go on to college and then medical school, later to return to Helena but with the images of the massacre in his memory.

Judge Miller talked about how his family, in one generation, went from plantation slavery to medical school.

Though his message was humbling and heartbreaking, it was also one of hope. He talked about loving your neighbor, being the change you want to see in your community, and not relying on government to solve your problems. Judge Miller, for example, visits inmates he sentenced to prison just to make sure they are doing what needs to be done so they can be productive members of society upon re-entry. He also purchases low-income housing so individuals with dependency issues, among other problems, have work opportunities and a path to a better future. It's his way of helping his community. Loving others, one person at a time.

This is Black History Month. It's a time to remember the horrific episodes of our past, which are still being grappled with, but also the significant changes that have been achieved. It's a time to celebrate the accomplishments of so many Black individuals, both nationally and locally, as well as to remember our country's sometimes troubled past.

Like Judge Miller, we know the answer does not reside in government or one group. It starts, as the Scripture says, with honoring God and loving your neighbor as yourself.