I’m still not sure what the bugaboo words “critical race theory” mean that people seem to be so afraid of. But we do need to teach true American history, even if it is painful. Slavery, lynchings, segregation, Jim Crow laws, red-lining, the Tulsa race massacre (and others), the Scottsboro boys and more are all part of our history and should be acknowledged and taught.

We are on a journey from slavery and segregation to full equality. We are not there yet, but we have come a long way in the past 50 years.

The beauty of America is that, by fits and starts, we try to uphold the ideals we profess. If we don’t know where the journey started, how can we celebrate our progress and aspire to reach the end?

Mary Beth Walling

North Huntingdon

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)