Crossing the bridge separating Maryland and West Virginia, observers will see a quaint sign. The message conveys that Keyser is the friendliest city in the USA. Keyser, for the most part, has always accepted new students or staff with a warm welcome.

Recently there seems to be a shift, however minor, in this atmosphere. What has threatened this long-held tradition of welcome here? In order to consider this question, one must explore the history of prejudice and discrimination.

On September 4, 1957, an angry crowd of nearly one thousand citizens of Little Rock, AK had flocked to Central High, forcing nine African American students to leave class at midday under police protection.

The students had been sent to the high school because of the Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas case. By selecting a case from outside of the rebellious south, the court hoped to emphasize that the question of segregation in schools was a national one, according to American Odyssey: The 20th Century and Beyond.

Now, fifty years later, prejudice still rears its ugly head. Race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and cliques within student bodies are a few of the many displays of prejudice.

Superiority is a major issue in this world. It plays a part in the past and present. Do we want to make this a part of our future as well?

November 13, President George Bush and present day civil rights leaders broke ground on what will be the first monument dedicated to African Americans in the USA. When complete, the statue will stand between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorial in Washington, D.C. The Martin Luther King, Jr. statue’s centerpiece will immortalize the “I Have a Dream” speech.

An estimated $100 million will be needed to complete the memorial. So far, about $63 million has been raised for the project. WV Senator Robert Byrd helped to appropriate the money for the project. This memorial symbolizes our struggles and our triumphs. Maybe America will continue its success and calm its troubles.