February is here.

Black History Month.

Yes, THAT month.

This is for Whites, Asians, Hispanics, Martians; our history is yours. Join us in celebration and reflection.

This is the American history we all should have learned.

Be glad that for 28 days, you can get an idea of just how much you’ve missed out on.

Morgan Freeman was right – you can’t limit my history by simply calling it “black”.

Morgan was wrong too. We the people - black and white - need The Month until it becomes part of The History.

As much as some people would like it to be, sports will never be an escape from The Month.

Get real.

You can’t have The Month without sports.

Sports has always made and caught snapshots of black history.

Of American History.

Of black and white.

Justice denied, deferred, and eventually (in some cases) delivered.

It is Paul Robeson making Walter Camp's first All-America team.

It is Moses Fleetwood Walker and Bud Fowler, the inventor of the shin guard.

It is Jack Johnson, White Hopes, and The Mann Act.

Joe Lewis and Max Schmeling…Jesse Owens and Adolph ####.

Joe Lewis and Max Schmeling again.

And it's Josh, Satch, Judy, Cool Papa. Buck and Double Duty.

...and not forgetting Etta Manley and Gus Greenlee.

It is Jackie Robinson batting lead off for the modern Civil/Human Rights Movement.

See Jackie hit that ball.

See Jackie steal home, still black and proud.

It is Pee Wee Reese with his arm around Jackie…

…and Doby, Mays, Clemente, and Bullet Bob Gibson in Game 7.

Althea Gibson winning Wimbledon…Wilma Rudolph outrunning Jim Crow.

It’s Cassius Clay and Malcolm X.

Muhammad Ali, what’s your name?

It’s not crossing the line when you got no quarrel with them Vietcong...with Bill Russell, Lew Alcindor and Jim Brown having your back.

It’s Jack Johnson all over again…

… and Big Daddy Lattin posterizing Rupp’s Runts.

"Alcinder Rule" my eye.

… Black AFL All-Stars making a stand by taking a Walk.

… Wilt versus Russell, Bob Hayes running an eight-six…

… Tommie Smith and John Carlos, and The Power of Two.

… Curt Flood deciding his destiny was his to own...

… and Hank The Hammer taking Al Downing, The Babe, and racists deep, downtown and waaaay back.

Black History is all that. And we ain’t done…

It’s Doctor J taking off from the foul line in Denver.

…and Doug Williams, quarterBLACK, going deep on Denver.

…Arthur Ashe speaking softly, swinging a big racket. Touching the world.

It’s Being Like Mike. Wearing The Shoes with Mars…

…Big John Thompson taking the towel off his shoulder for Prop 48.

…Tubby Smith cutting the nets in The House That Rupp built.

And John Chaney still teaches at 5am.

It’s Art Shell and Tony Dungy and Dennis Green and Marvin Lewis…

…and James Harris to Doug Williams to Warren Moon...

…Magic Johnson doing to HIV what he did to the Celtics.

…Magic, Jim Brown and Bernie Casey and Keyshawn Johnson giving back to their communities and giving hope.

It’s Zina Garrison then…

… and Venus and Serena Williams now

…Cheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie.

The Fab Five and A.I. and The Tribe Called Quest.

It’s Barry Bonds chasing The Hammer,

and Bob Johnson and his Bobcats – and Shelia Johnson and her Mystics.

And on the shoulders of Lee Elder and Charlie Sifford, there stands Tiger Woods.

Even if Tiger isn't always sure of the black part.

…and the beat goes on…from blues to bee-bop...from fusion to funk,and soul to hip-hop...

This is American history, not limited by a month. Unbounded by a color.

Made by Americans of proud African ancestory, for all Americans.

This lesson will continue until no longer necessary.

This is your history.

And now you know.