LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Addressing the theme "Quest for Black Citizenship in the Americas," retired Lt. Gen. Daniel James III was the keynote speaker at the annual African American Heritage Committee's luncheon Feb. 12 in the Gateway Club.
Before an audience exceeding 300, General James said African Americans have been important role models and citizens to our country.
"I think the quest began a long, long time ago," he said. "They in fact have been leaders, scientists, educators - they run the whole gamut of our society in the paths of our history."
General James cited former Secretary of State Colin Powell, the Buffalo soldiers, the Tuskegee Airmen, George Washington Carver and former Justice Thurgood Marshall as examples.
"Everything from the potato chip to the traffic light to plasma to the aqua lung for scuba diving was touched or invented by African American citizens," the highly decorated general said. "So the question of citizens is not hard to find."
He spoke of the values instilled by his father, Daniel "Chappie" James Jr., the Air Force's first African American four-star general. Asked to characterize his father in one sentence, he replied: American patriot.
"Long before Martin Luther King gave his 'I Have a Dream' speech, my grandmother told him (his father) he could be anything he wanted to be he wanted it that badly and was willing to work for it, willing to prepare, willing to persevere," General James said.
"When you talk about citizenship, the central part of that is patriotism," he said. "You don't have to wear a uniform to be a great patriot but you have to wear a certain love in your heart for something that is bigger than you."
General James also cited the persistence engrained in him by his father.
"In my home, the 11th Commandment was 'I shall not quit,'" he said. "We were not allowed to give up. After you proved that you had given 110 percent, he'd say 'Good, let's start over.'"
The first African American to hold the post of Director of the Air National Guard closed his speech with a challenge.
"Continue to work in whatever endeavor you are in to make sure we always keep America good, so America will always be great," he said.