" Your construction is ignoring the fact you can write this article; that lynching is not popular; segregation is illegal; the glass ceiling for African-Americans has been broken — not saying it isn’t still a big obstacle but it is easy today to list significant Americans who are black and proud."

I'm letting this simmer before completely responding. It's true I can write my articles without much fear of retribution. Much of what is illegal regarding segregated schools, hiring practices, voting rights, and employment still occurs. We are policed today little different than in days of yore. I know several prominent black Americans, all of whom still feel the sting of racism from time to time.