Bob Dole: “A nation defines itself in many ways; in the promises it makes and the programs it enacts, the dreams it enshrines, or…”

“A nation defines itself in many ways; in the promises it makes and the programs it enacts, the dreams it enshrines, or the doors it slams shut. Thanks to Dr. King, America wrote new laws to strike down old barriers. She built bridges instead of walls . . . there is nothing partisan about justice. It is conservative as the Constitution, as liberal as Lincoln, as radical as Jefferson's sweeping assertion that all of God's creation is equal in His eyes. I could not agree more. I am very proud of the rich and vibrant African American Heritage in my home state of North Carolina. Indeed, Mr. President, our history is full of trailblazers, including, Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair, Jr., and David Richmond, known as the Greensboro Four because of their February 1960 sit-in at a Woolworth Store counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. They, along with others, laid the foundation for the America we strive to be, where all people are given an opportunity regardless of the color of their skin. We have come a long way since then. Today, African Americans and minorities serve in every aspect of business, politics, and the legal profession.”