Contributions of African Americans

* Re “A Time to Take Pride in Heritage and Move Forward,” Ventura County Perspective, Feb. 4.

In this article William H. Thrasher asked what meaning Black History Month can convey to Ventura County residents.

Black History Month can increase awareness of the contributions of African Americans to making the United States the most powerful county in the world today. However, because of American historians’ policies of exclusion, our children do not know and can’t really appreciate the accomplishments of our ancestors.

It is for all Americans--white, black and others--to pause this month and realize that this country could not be the great power that it is without the sacrifices made by slaves and other minorities, although little credit has been given in school curricula.

Take a moment and think about the contributions of Dr. Charles Drew, Elijah McCoy, George Washington Carver and the many others who have been forgotten or overlooked.

Our children and other minorities must have self-esteem, which can only come from parents instilling in them a sense of worth and from educators who teach that the United States is a county whose greatness is directly due to multiculturalism rather than ethnocentrism.

ARCHIBALD MITCHELL

Lompoc