Struggle. A Never-Ending Process

Dr. Dale Caldwell: As America marks 250 years of independence, how do you think the country should hold both pride in its founding ideals and honesty about how long it took—and still takes—to extend them to everyone? Dr. Bernice A. King: For me that's an interesting question, because it depends on who we're speaking about, what group of people we're speaking about, because the experience of America is different for different groups of people. To be specific: for many of us in the Black community who descend from those who were enslaved, it is a different experience. We were brought here against our will. Other people migrated here. So there is a sense of pride for those who are considered immigrants. We are not immigrants.