Rather than on an indivdual level, think about what American blacks as a people have contributed to American (and, in turn, global) culture. Imagine what American music would be like (there would be no rock and roll); no jazz, etc. And, dance would not be the same without the African influence (tap dancing appears to have come from the blacks and Irish [the step-dancing] being thrown together in NYC of the 1840s).
Aside from the musical arena, the influence of jazz on modern fine art is also impressive. And, no need to remind anyone of their contributions to professional and amateur athletics.
During war, blacks have fought and died for this country event through years of discrimination and segregation. Although the Brits offered freedom to any slave who threw in with their side during our Revolutionary War (and, to be sure, some did) fully five thousand blacks were under arms on the patriot side (this does not count the impressive numbers of blacks that had supportive roles during the RevWar, eg, teamster, cook, etc). The first all-black regiment was from Rhode Island, but 1/4 of the men in John Glover's Massachusetts unit of fishermen and sailors (the guys who ferried The General across the Delaware) were black in this mixed unit.
The blacks helped build this country in more ways than one, and it makes me mad when these very real contributions are NEVER cited by black "leaders" (because that will allow African Americans to feel more a part of America).
So many so-called "enlightened" black people jump up and down about black history month. But when they have an opportunity to talk about blacks who people are not familiar names who made contributions to American society, they look at you with a deer-in-headlights sort of stare.
You could fill volumes with the names and stories of people, real people - black people - whose contributions to many fields of endeavor, medicine, science, mechanical invention, business, farming, education and politics for starters. But to hear it from the so-called "black leadership," we didn't have anything to do with those things.
We are Americans. We helped shape this country. We continue to help shape this land, in spite of the Jesse Jackson's, Al Sharpton's and Cynthia McKinney's who are constantly trying to divide and conquer the spoils for their own aggrandizement and plunder.