Today, amid no real fanfare it seems, the United States Senate apologized to the nation for the institutions of slavery and Jim Crow. There's not a whole lot to say about this. Black folks haven't needed an apology, especially this late in the game, but it's nice to have. Honestly, the Obama presidency was the best band-aid possible (notice it's a band-aid, not a cure; no apology or history-making election will cure the ills of the past and their repercussions felt in the present). But I was taught that when you make a mistake, you say apologize. And though Tom Harkin (D-IA) didn't own slaves and supported then-Senator Obama in his quest for high office, he represents a body of people that legitimized slavery and supported unequal treatment of a race of people for centuries. He also sees the effects of slavery each time he takes the floor in the Capitol. Not one black man or woman stands with him in that chamber. That's a disturbing result of Jim Crow. Needless to say, it was long overdue for the Senate to apologize. I'm glad it was done. But let us not forget that there is still MASSIVE work to do.
P.S. : I think they should have waited until tomorrow to at least enjoy a bit of symbolism. I guess they didn't get the message either.
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