This spring, as part of my sabbatical, I had the privilege of taking some time away from campus to study the Civil Rights Movement and the African-American experience. Chris and I read several books on African-American history and visited numerous historic civil rights sites in 10 cities in Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama. 

The experience was enlightening, sobering, sad, discouraging and motivating. Perhaps the greatest point of sadness was the realization that too few of us were involved in this movement to right the wrongs of racism. Perhaps Edward Gilbraith said it best in Reconciliation Blues when he writes: "Looking back, it seems that most white evangelicals were out to lunch during the Civil Rights Movement--or worse, on the wrong side." (p. 108)

 

This three-week intensive study has affirmed for me the importance of our work as a University toward racial and ethnic reconciliation. My desire is for Huntington to model the kind of diverse community that is consistent with Scripture and our faith. 

Our Diversity Committee is already developing plans to undertake a year-long, campus-wide emphasis in 2009-2010 to study issues of cultural, ethnic and racial diversity. This is important work and I look forward to the involvement of all faculty, staff, students and Board members in this discussion.

 

I ended my spring sabbatical by running my 7th marathon (26.2 miles) in Kenosha, Wisconsin.