He was an internationally famous singer and actor, yet in the U.S. he was persecuted and blacklisted for his political beliefs. He died impoverished and in obscurity. His singular life is a model for courage and steadfastness in the face of racial and political prejudice. Reality and events clearly validate the continuing accuracy of that observation. Racial conflict range from the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles to black-Jewish tensions in New York.
Racial hierarchy promotes paranoia and division.
The problem of the color line must be transcended if we are to realize the promise of genuine equality. April 15, 1993. Throughout history there have been individuals who have challenged conventional wisdom and have stretched societal limits. Collectively they constitute the radical democratic tradition. A sterling example of this lineage is Rosa Parks.