John Hope Franklin, 1915-2009

When I was a freshman in college, I took Intro to African-American Studies at Howard University. The textbook was "From Slavery to Freedom" by Dr. Franklin. For those who know me, this class altered my life; it started me on a fantastic journey examining the role of race, gender, and class in American history and society. Dr. Franklin made that journey possible. His textbook was the first, and still considered to be one of the best, textbooks on African American history. He fought to make Black history not a niche, but an important part in understanding all of American history. I would like to take this time to thank Dr. Franklin, and say the fight will continue.