We read of the courageous march south to battle the Confederate Army by the all-black 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Unlike their white counterparts, they understood from the beginning that they would be offered no quarter if captured alive.

It was the understanding of the power of perception that allowed the Martin Luther King, Jr. generations to stay true to the strategy of non-violence, refusing to retaliate when every emotional instinct would justify them doing so.

My dad and uncles were among the 125,000 proud black American volunteers who, throughout their entire lives, considered their decision to serve during WWII as their greatest honor.

Burgess Owens Quotes