Beyond the "Year of the Black Man"

This has been a very good year for the American black man.

One year ago, Tony Dungy coached the Indianapolis Colts football team to victory in the Super Bowl, becoming the first American of African descent to achieve such a distinction.

Of course, we all know of Barack Obama's numerous achievements on his way to becoming the first African-American elected President of the United States.

Last weekend, Michael Steele became the first American of African descent to be elected to the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee.

A glance at the past reveals a history that has not been as bright for us as tomorrow appears. Today, black men are as under-represented in the college classroom as we are over-represented in prison and jail populations. Overcoming decades of excuses, neglect, poverty, and social dysfunction will likely take unrelenting progress totaling decades more; but it seems we're nearing a tipping point. That is good news, indeed!

However, our goal needs to be reset to a point beyond the "year of the black man." Imagine a society where a black man is not only the President of the United States, but where a white man is the chairman or the president of the NAACP. Imagine a society where men are as interested in the rights of women as women. Imagine a society where the banner of equality is championed by the enfranchised, not primarily by the disenfranchised, as is commonly the case.

Ahead and beyond is a time and place where we will no longer wait for the "first," and we will no longer see the need to maintain a tally.

The past 12 months have been good for the American black man, but this year is over, and there is more work to be done in the future for the poor, the weak, the marginalized, and the disenfranchised. Having just received a boost-up is a great time to offer a hand-down.