As we celebrate July 4, I wanted to pick some resources that balance our celebration with our history.  African-American history is under scrutiny or even under attack by some in our country.  It is right to celebrate what is good about America and to understand the ugly parts of our history.  I hope these resources will provide some moments of pondering. 

•  The book for this month is Martin Luther King Jr.’s A Letter from Birmingham Jail.  This is not a long read, but it is important.   You can find a copy of it online here:  https://bri-wp-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/Letter-From-Birmingham-Jail.pdf   
• The movie this month is Glory.  A quick synopsis of Glory is the following: During the Civil War, the first all-African American regiment engages in an uphill attack against the Confedrate army amid bigotry, bloodshed and more. 
•  The podcast for this month is from Voxology Podcast.  They interviewed Dr. Malcolm Foley about greed and racism.  At a later date, our book recommendation will be Dr. Foley’s book on the same subject. 
•  Our person to understand is Frederick Douglass.  Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist and advisor to President Abraham Lincoln.