A Life of Struggles, A Life of Forgiveness

[mark414]

by Eugene Kane

The most remarkable thing about James Cameron was that he never held a grudge.

The 92-year-old founder of America's Black Holocaust Museum, who died Sunday, had such a big heart it was almost impossible for him to express bitterness or anger toward anyone.

A deeply religious man, Cameron didn't even hold a grudge against the members of the lynch mob in Marion, Ind., who tried to kill him at the age of 16. Neither did he blame the people who wrongly sent him to prison for four years for being an accessory to voluntary manslaughter.

He was pardoned by the Indiana governor in 1993; Cameron had pardoned the state of Indiana for falsely imprisoning him long before that.

In the sunset of his years, Cameron never held a grudge against the legions of nay-sayers who told him there was no way he could start a museum dedicated to a dark side of American history. He bore no ill will for any of the politicians or so-called community leaders who never supported his dream until after it was finished.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=434738


(i wanted to post this a month ago but wasn't a donor...then someone graciously donated on my behalf

i never got to meet dr. cameron but i did get to visit the black holocaust museum and have heard incredible stories about him from those who were lucky enough to have known him (i used to live in milwaukee).

there's a few other great articles linked on the side of the page, about dr. cameron and his life, he is quite an amazing man) and on a side note, eugene kane is definitely the best columnist that the milwaukee paper has, if you have the time read some of his other columns...

[itzamirakul]

1. I saw the documentary that included Dr. Cameron's remarkable story

some time ago and was very impressed.

At this late stage in my life, I am beginning to believe that this constant forgive and forget attitude that most blacks display has been to our detriment and certainly not to our benefit.

Why should anyone want to change cruel behavior toward you if they know in advance that you will not hold them accountable for their cruelties?