Sadly, by many blacks today, these people would be viewed as being "too white." They worked within the hated System, made money and "betrayed their race" by succeeding. They probably got no federal money, particpated in no quota system, received no reparations for what happened in the past...they just went out, got educated, studied and worked hard, and became better than they were by dint of their own achievements.
I weep over the way Clarence Thomas, Condi Rice and others are treated within their own communities. Smart, powerful, hard working...they should be the role models. Instead, we get non-resoning masses singing Hosannas to Jessie Jackson. Sad.
Indeed. But my parents made sure my brother, sister and I knew who they were (I recognized all the names off the bat with the sole exception of McCoy, and the short bio jogged my memory on him), and my wife and I are making just as certain with our young'uns.
These were all great Americans. And we all should be proud of their works.