John Hope Franklin knows America's struggles with racism. He's writtenmore than a dozen books on the subject. "From Slavery to Freedom" haseven been rewritten in several languages. A recipient of the President'sMedal of Honor, Franklin is now the head of the Commission onRace Relations. The group will advise the President on how to create dialogueabout diversity.
Franklin says part of the healing begins in the past. He says racialproblems go well beyond slavery. Talking about the issues may not be initself a final healing process, but it's certainly a beginning.
Franklin says it is the baggage that precedes slavery that causes theracial divide in the 1990s. During the 17th Century some whites held anegative attitude towards blacks and people of color. It was for thatreason that blacks were considered physiologically and psychologicallyinferior.
Franklin says the strategy of the President and the Commission must focuson erasing such ingrained attitudes through discussions that at timeswill be painful. It's a matter of getting to know each other in a way wedon't already.
Franklin is confident that America can overcome this racialdivide. He hopes the Commission and the President will jump start racerelations and let the healing begin. Franklin says the Commission onRace Relations will meet again in mid-July to discuss strategy for itsyear-long mission.
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