the american culture, menino of the historical accomplishments of the african- american women, phyllis wheatley, harriet tubman, leader of underground railroad. ida wells, the unyielding upon it to a lynching. rosa parks, of course, the mother of the modern civil rights movement and on and on. gwendolyn brooks, tommy morrison -- toni morrison. wonderful writers. awe still have a ways to go, we hav a long ways to go. as an author to have helped our human rights commission read the agenda we have a ways to go. [applause] that is why i look at the audience, i see a lot of people that will help us get there. our board of supervisors are here, our other elected officials, the treasure is here. members from all the other communities are here. because it is not just something the african-american community can do. the chinese -- a chinese person can help with the advantage to agenda. a latino person can help. a korean person can help. a gay person can help. everyone can help accomplish the unfinished agenda for everyone. i often talk about partnerships. we have to partner with our african-american com

phyllis wheatley was the african poetess whose work had won praise from voltaire and censure from jefferson. named for the slave ship that transported her from africa to boston, wheatley entered washington's life in october 1775 when she sent to the american commander a folsom tribute in verse which ended with a flattering, if inaccurate, prediction. a crown, a mansion and a throne that shines, with gold unfading, washington divine. ms. wheatley's salute coincided with a ban on free negroes in continental ranks. one can readily discern washington the southern slave holder in the seclusionary order issued under his name. quote, neither negroes, boys unable to bear arms, nor old men unfit to endure the fatigues of the campaign are to be enlisted, it said. the interdict was short-lived. within days, it became clear that governor dunmore, having fled his williamsburg palace for the safety of a british man of war, intended to sew sow seeds of racial rebellion by welcoming runaway slaves into the king's ranks. before the year ended, washington lifted his ban on african-american troops. the result