Civil Rights Veterans Break Down Black History Month

As Black History Month comes to a close, some civil rights legends and trailblazers are taking a moment to discuss the importance of celebrating the contributions of African-Americans to this country.

It's easy to look at the President of the United States and think that there's no need for the month because an African-American has ascended to the highest office in the land.

But as civil rights icon Julian Bond put it, a lot has happened since Africans were first brought to this country as slaves and the historic election of President Barack Obama.

"All Americans ought to have some consciousness that among us, there's this population that has had a peculiar history-African Americans. Slavery, subjugation, discrimination, now freedom--now one of us is the President of the United States. That's great, and we need to celebrate it, but we need to understand how we got here," Bond said.

Our struggle is a phenomenal lesson to the United States and the world. Lessons from the struggle for civil rights are a beacon to oppressed people everywhere.

"In Black history, we see the struggle of all human beings capsuled in the struggle of people who were denied income, education, health care housing and justice," said The Rev. Walter Fauntroy, a retired member of Congress and a 1972 Democratic candidate for president.

But as others note, that is not all we contributed to this country.

"The American experience has been significantly defined by the role of African Americans here and the growth of America and how America has come to embrace this history and our contribution is a tribute to the power and promise of America," said Sharon Pratt, the former mayor of Washington D.C. and the first black woman to helm a major American city. "And often, it is overlooked. It's sort of looked at in terms of the high moment of the civil rights movement, but there is a whole lot of history that proceeds that."

How do you think African-Americans have contributed to this country? Are our accomplishments recognized and appreciated? Watch the video and post your thoughts.