#Prattville Elementary School

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A Heartwarming Birthday Tradition: Young Alabamian’s Generous Gesture

In Alabama, a notable event characterized by selflessness and joy is resonating in the hearts of many, especially within the Prattville Elementary School community. The central figure of this heartfelt story is 8-year-old Libby Barret who opted for a different kind of celebration as she marked another year of her young life. Libby’s Remarkable Choice: With a budget of $550, which she could have…

[amaraluuna]

Affordable Homes in Prattville AL with Good Schools

When considering a new place to call home, families often prioritize two key factors: affordability and access to quality education. Prattville, Alabama, offers both, making it an ideal location for families seeking to build a life in a vibrant, welcoming community. This article explores the features of affordable homes in Prattville, AL, Homes For Sale and highlights the advantages of its reputable school system, providing a comprehensive overview of why this city should be on your radar.

The Charm of Prattville, AL

Prattville is a small yet rapidly growing city situated just 15 minutes from Montgomery, Alabama’s capital. It is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Area and offers the best of both worlds — easy access to urban conveniences and the peace of a smaller, close-knit community. Known for its historic charm and friendly atmosphere, Prattville is perfect for families who want a suburban lifestyle with a dash of Southern hospitality.

As a part of Autauga County, Prattville boasts a rich history, beautiful parks, and access to various recreational activities. The city’s growing population speaks to its appeal, particularly for those looking for affordable housing and quality education.

Affordable Homes in Prattville

The real estate market in Prattville is one of the city’s most attractive features, especially for first-time homebuyers and families on a budget. Homes in this area typically offer excellent value for money, with many properties combining affordability with spacious designs, modern amenities, and well-maintained yards.

Types of Homes Available

In Prattville, you can find a wide variety of affordable homes, ranging from charming older houses with character to newly constructed homes in family-oriented neighbourhoods. Whether you’re looking for a starter home, a cosy bungalow, or a more spacious single-family residence, Prattville has a diverse selection of properties to suit your needs.

Single-family homes: These are the most common type of housing in Prattville, and they come in various sizes, from two-bedroom cottages to larger four-bedroom homes. Many of these homes are located in established neighbourhoods with mature trees and quiet streets, perfect for raising children.

Townhomes: For those seeking lower maintenance, Prattville offers townhomes in convenient locations. These properties are often more affordable than detached homes, making them a popular choice for first-time buyers or smaller families.

New construction: If you’re looking for something move-in ready and with all the latest modern features, Prattville has seen a boom in new construction developments. These homes are typically energy-efficient, offering cost savings on utilities and reducing the need for immediate repairs or upgrades.

The median home price in Prattville is considerably lower than the national average, allowing families to secure larger homes with more amenities for their budget compared to other cities. For those looking to invest in a home without breaking the bank, Prattville offers an appealing option.

Good Schools in Prattville

One of the standout reasons to consider Prattville for your next home is its highly regarded public school system. The Autauga County School District, which serves the city, routinely earns excellent ratings for extracurricular involvement, academic achievement, and general student happiness. The quality of the local schools is frequently a top concern for families with children, and Prattville does not let them down.

Elementary Schools

Prattville offers several excellent elementary schools, each known for its caring faculty, small class sizes, and emphasis on student achievement.

Prattville Primary School: Known for its strong focus on early childhood education, Prattville Primary School provides a solid foundation for young learners. The school emphasizes a balance of academics, social skills, and creativity, ensuring that children are well-prepared for their educational journey.

Daniel Pratt Elementary School: Named after the city’s founder, Daniel Pratt Elementary is one of the top-rated schools in the district. It offers a well-rounded curriculum, focusing on reading, math, science, and social studies while also providing art, music, and physical education classes. Parents frequently praise the school for its dedicated teachers and supportive environment.

Middle Schools

Prattville Junior High School: Serving students in grades 7–8, Prattville Junior High School prepares children for the academic challenges of high school. The school offers a variety of advanced courses and extracurricular activities, from sports teams to academic clubs, ensuring students have opportunities to excel both in and out of the classroom.

Autauga County Middle School: With a focus on student development, Autauga County Middle School offers a supportive environment where students can grow academically and socially. The school’s mission is to create lifelong learners and to emphasize the importance of teamwork, responsibility, and personal growth.

High Schools

Prattville High School: This is the largest high school in Autauga County and a central part of the community. Prattville High School offers a wide range of academic programs, including Advanced Placement (AP) courses, career technical education, and extracurricular activities like athletics, music, and art. The school’s sports teams, particularly in football, have a strong reputation, fostering a sense of community pride.

Prattville High School has a graduation rate higher than the state average, reflecting the quality of education provided. The school also offers various college preparation resources, including partnerships with local colleges and universities, ensuring that students are ready for the next step in their education.

Family-Oriented Neighborhoods

Many of Prattville’s neighbourhoods are designed with families in mind, offering safe, quiet streets, community parks, and easy access to schools. Some of the top neighbourhoods in the city, often featured by Aronov Realty, include:

Camellia Estates: A picturesque neighbourhood known for its tree-lined streets and well-kept homes. Camellia Estates is perfect for families who want a peaceful environment close to good schools and recreational facilities.

Highland Ridge: This newer development offers affordable homes with modern designs and energy-efficient features. It’s a great option for families who want to be close to schools while enjoying the benefits of living in a newer, more upscale neighbourhood.

Overlook Estates: Overlook Estates offers a range of affordable homes and is located near several parks, playgrounds, and schools. It’s a family-friendly neighbourhood where children can play safely, and parents can easily connect with neighbours.

Why Prattville Is a Great Choice for Families

There are many reasons why Prattville is such a popular choice for families. In addition to its affordable housing and good schools, the city offers:

Safety: Prattville consistently ranks as one of the safest cities in Alabama, giving parents peace of mind as they raise their children.

Parks and Recreation: The city is home to several parks, including Pratt Park and Cooters Pond Park, which offer playgrounds, walking trails, and picnic areas. Families can also enjoy activities like fishing, boating, and camping in nearby natural areas.

Community Events: Prattville hosts various community events throughout the year, from holiday parades to local farmers’ markets. These events bring the community together, creating a welcoming environment for families.

Conclusion

Prattville, AL, offers the perfect blend of affordability, quality education, and family-friendly living. With a variety of affordable homes available, excellent schools that prioritize student success, and a strong sense of community, Prattville is an ideal place for families looking to lay down roots and build a future. Whether looking for a larger single-family home or something more affordable, Prattville offers a warm community that makes your family feel at home.

[sotina886]

The American black genocide has been shocked for a century

Xinhua News Agency, Washington, May 31st (International Observation) The American black genocide was shocked for a century

Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Jianmei and Deng Xianlai

US President Biden issued an announcement on May 31, declaring that the day was "the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Genocide" and calling on the American people to "reflect on the deep roots of our country's racial terror."

Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma in the Midwestern United States. The incident of white mobs massacring black people and burning black communities here a hundred years ago is one of the most serious incidents of racial violence in American history, but it has been covered in dust and forgotten for a long time, and it has only been remembered in recent years. The Biden administration intends to take this matter to ease the pressure on racial issues in the United States, but the road is still long because it is hard to return.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Tulsa quickly became rich due to the discovery of oil nearby, and people flocked, including many blacks. Under the apartheid system, there are only a few areas in the city that allow blacks to buy land and run businesses, and the northern Greenwood community is one of them. After more than ten years of painstaking efforts by black entrepreneurs, it became one of the most prosperous black economic and cultural centers in the United States at that time, and was known as "Black Wall Street". The living standard of many blacks here exceeds that of many local whites. This has attracted resentment from white racists and has become an important factor in the genocide.

On May 30, 1921, a 19-year-old black shoe polisher was arrested on suspicion of "assaulting" a 17-year-old white girl in an elevator. The local white newspaper published a supplementary but unsubstantiated report the next day. . From May 31st to June 1st, white mobs attacked the black community of Greenwood. They set fire, looted, shot, and even used airplanes to throw homemade Molotov cocktails from the air. In the raging fire, more than 1,200 houses and shops were burnt to rubble, about 300 black people were killed, and about 10,000 black residents were displaced.

Viola Fletcher, a 107-year-old survivor, testified before Congress in mid-May this year: "I will never forget the violence of white mobs when we left home. Our country may forget this history, but I Can't."

As the white girl always denied being assaulted, the arrested black youth was acquitted a few months later. However, none of the thugs in the massacre were prosecuted, and no survivors received reasonable compensation. Most blacks in the Greenwood community were forced to move to more northerly areas of the city. Today, Tulsa is rich in the south and poor in the north. There is a significant gap between black residents in the north and whites in the same city in terms of employment, health, and economic status. Government data shows that the median income of white households is about 20,000 US dollars higher than that of black households; in 2019, nearly one-third of residents living below the poverty line are blacks, and only 12% are whites.

Biden admitted in the memorial announcement that the US federal government played a disgraceful role in this incident. The announcement stated that after the massacre, the local government passed laws and regulations to implement new building standards. The high cost of building houses prevented most black families from rebuilding their homes; the federal government classified the Greenwood community as a “dangerous” area, making it impossible for black homeowners to agree. Conditions to obtain housing loans. In the decades that followed, federal investment, including the construction of a federal highway through Greenwood, caused the community to be demolished and cut off.

In the United States at the beginning of the last century, the Tulsa genocide was by no means an isolated case. Research by William Tuttle Jr., a retired professor of American history at the University of Kansas, shows that between 1917 and 1923, many communities of color across the United States suffered various forms and levels of violence, and more than 1,100 Americans were killed in such incidents. .

A major consequence of the Tulsa genocide and similar incidents is that they deprived blacks of opportunities for the accumulation of intergenerational wealth. Some American scholars pointed out that the huge gap in wealth between whites and blacks in the United States is partly due to the repeated destruction of black towns, houses, and businesses in history, hindering their ability to accumulate and inherit wealth and enable future generations to obtain a good education. A 2013 research report found that white Americans are five times more likely to inherit an inheritance than blacks, and in families that inherit inheritance, white heirs get ten times as much inheritance as blacks.

David Krugler, a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Prattville, pointed out that these racial violence incidents have left African Americans deeply traumatized and are also an important cause of tension between them and the police. Brandon Aldant, a member of the Tulsa Genocide Centennial Committee, said that looking around the United States today, people will still see the chain effect of the genocide a hundred years ago.

For most of the 20th century, the Tulsa genocide was ignored and forgotten. It was not until 1997 that Oklahoma established a committee to investigate the massacre and issued a detailed report four years later. This incident was included in the state's public school curriculum at the beginning of this century and was included in the American history textbook several years ago. The mainstream media in the United States did not widely report on the Tulsa genocide until the Centennial Day.

But just before the memorial day, Oklahoma legislation prohibits the teaching of courses in public elementary and middle schools in the state that cause “discomfort, guilt, pain, or psychological pressure” to students because of race or gender. This move immediately caused controversy and was believed to restrict school teaching and classroom discussions on racial equality issues.

The commemoration of the Tulsa genocide and related financial compensation issues have become one of the topics of the "cultural war" in the serious confrontation between the two parties in the United States. Judging from the differences between the two parties and the intensifying "cultural war", the United States still has a long way to go to achieve racial equality and racial justice.

[dippedanddripped]

By The Associated Press

By Krista Johnson, the Montgomery Advertiser

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Jocelyn Stovall's little sister was four years old when she needed open-heart surgery, traveling from Prattville to a Boston hospital to undergo the procedure.

Stovall, a music performance major at Huntingdon College at the time, went with for the operation, not knowing the trip would change the trajectory of her life's work.

After the operation, Stovall's sister was irritable, refusing to leave her bed. Her doctors called in the hospital's music therapist to help. Singing songs about standing up and walking — instructions sang with melody rather than ordered directly — made the difference.

The experience inspired Stovall to switch her major to music therapy, and recently she opened her own business in the River Region.

"Just the way she engaged (with the therapist) and we were able to get her out of the bed and she began to walk down the hall — that inspired me to see the true benefits of music. Because you can enjoy it, but to see it in real action."

Stovall, after receiving her bachelor's from University of Alabama and masters in music therapy from Georgia College & State University, went on to become a national board certified music therapist and has been working as a music teacher at a Prattville elementary since 2010.

In April, after years of serving students she felt would benefit from music therapy sessions, she decided to start Evolve — a music therapy company that offers sessions to people with a variety of diagnoses, including postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, developmental disabilities, Alzheimer's, dementia and cerebral palsy.

"Music is very good for everybody and it's very therapeutic," Stovall said, explaining there is a difference between simply singing as a way to be therapeutic, and music therapy, which helps clients achieve their personal goals.

In a recent visit to STAAR, a Montgomery nonprofit that hosts a summer program for young people with disabilities, Stovall guided a group therapy session that was focused on teaching the teens to express themselves and increase their abilities to socialize and make eye contact.

Playing a guitar in the center of the group of seven, Stovall started with an upbeat song that she sang to each teen individually — making direct eye contact ask she'd ask each for their name and how they were doing. When someone averted their gaze, she'd ask to see their eyes. The teens would tap together a pair of claves — a wooden percussion instrument — as they waited their turn to answer Stovall.

The session continued with the teens writing a one word about how they were feeling — with the words ranging from "talented" to "awesome," ''funny" and "grumpy" — while beating a drum to the way they felt as they formed a dance routine that incorporated memorization.

The main goal of STAAR — the Skills Transition Academic Achievement Readiness program — is to provide the participants, age 14 to 21, with the skills necessary to be prepared for life after high school. With six of the eight youth participating this year on the autism spectrum, program founder Stacey Varner wanted to expose them to activities that might help with their different "exceptionalities," such as avoiding eye-contact or touching.

"I just know that as a teacher of students with disabilities, we try different things to get in, to get past those layers," Varner said. "Different activities help them."

"We're trained to engage. So I make sure I look at them. I may call their name if they look away or sing their name then see if they will sing it back," Stovall said. "In a group setting, passing an instrument around, playing alone and playing together shows the difference of being in a group and being by myself."

Music therapy can be utilized by people with all different sets of issues and goals, Stovall said.

"It's for everybody, young and old ... You tailor it to whatever the client needs at the moment or whatever the client's ultimate goal is," she said. For seniors with dementia, a session can help with memory and movement. For seniors with Alzheimer's, it can help with feelings of irritability.

Some neonatal intensive care units have hired music therapists after studies that show singing to a premature baby can expedite their growth as the synopsis of their brains light up at the sound of music.

"It's very clinical and it's research based and there are treatment plans that have to be in place and progress reports," Stovall said of the profession. "Music therapists are knowledgeable in understanding different diagnosis and working with different populations."

Music therapy educational programs started to emerge in the 1940s, according to the American Music Therapy Association. In Alabama, there are fewer than 60 music therapists listed, although that does not mean all are still practicing in the state.

The challenge right now, Stovall said, is educating people on what music therapy is.

"I want to show people the power of this profession," she said. "I'm hoping to help people of all ages in the River Region to reach their goals through music."

[sotina886]

The American black genocide has been shocked for a century

Xinhua News Agency, Washington, May 31st (International Observation) The American black genocide was shocked for a century

Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Jianmei and Deng Xianlai

US President Biden issued an announcement on May 31, declaring that the day was "the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Genocide" and calling on the American people to "reflect on the deep roots of our country's racial terror."

Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma in the Midwestern United States. The incident of white mobs massacring black people and burning black communities here a hundred years ago is one of the most serious incidents of racial violence in American history, but it has been covered in dust and forgotten for a long time, and it has only been remembered in recent years. The Biden administration intends to take this matter to ease the pressure on racial issues in the United States, but the road is still long because it is hard to return.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Tulsa quickly became rich due to the discovery of oil nearby, and people flocked, including many blacks. Under the apartheid system, there are only a few areas in the city that allow blacks to buy land and run businesses, and the northern Greenwood community is one of them. After more than ten years of painstaking efforts by black entrepreneurs, it became one of the most prosperous black economic and cultural centers in the United States at that time, and was known as "Black Wall Street". The living standard of many blacks here exceeds that of many local whites. This has attracted resentment from white racists and has become an important factor in the genocide.

On May 30, 1921, a 19-year-old black shoe polisher was arrested on suspicion of "assaulting" a 17-year-old white girl in an elevator. The local white newspaper published a supplementary but unsubstantiated report the next day. . From May 31st to June 1st, white mobs attacked the black community of Greenwood. They set fire, looted, shot, and even used airplanes to throw homemade Molotov cocktails from the air. In the raging fire, more than 1,200 houses and shops were burnt to rubble, about 300 black people were killed, and about 10,000 black residents were displaced.

Viola Fletcher, a 107-year-old survivor, testified before Congress in mid-May this year: "I will never forget the violence of white mobs when we left home. Our country may forget this history, but I Can't."

As the white girl always denied being assaulted, the arrested black youth was acquitted a few months later. However, none of the thugs in the massacre were prosecuted, and no survivors received reasonable compensation. Most blacks in the Greenwood community were forced to move to more northerly areas of the city. Today, Tulsa is rich in the south and poor in the north. There is a significant gap between black residents in the north and whites in the same city in terms of employment, health, and economic status. Government data shows that the median income of white households is about 20,000 US dollars higher than that of black households; in 2019, nearly one-third of residents living below the poverty line are blacks, and only 12% are whites.

Biden admitted in the memorial announcement that the US federal government played a disgraceful role in this incident. The announcement stated that after the massacre, the local government passed laws and regulations to implement new building standards. The high cost of building houses prevented most black families from rebuilding their homes; the federal government classified the Greenwood community as a “dangerous” area, making it impossible for black homeowners to agree. Conditions to obtain housing loans. In the decades that followed, federal investment, including the construction of a federal highway through Greenwood, caused the community to be demolished and cut off.

In the United States at the beginning of the last century, the Tulsa genocide was by no means an isolated case. Research by William Tuttle Jr., a retired professor of American history at the University of Kansas, shows that between 1917 and 1923, many communities of color across the United States suffered various forms and levels of violence, and more than 1,100 Americans were killed in such incidents. .

A major consequence of the Tulsa genocide and similar incidents is that they deprived blacks of opportunities for the accumulation of intergenerational wealth. Some American scholars pointed out that the huge gap in wealth between whites and blacks in the United States is partly due to the repeated destruction of black towns, houses, and businesses in history, hindering their ability to accumulate and inherit wealth and enable future generations to obtain a good education. A 2013 research report found that white Americans are five times more likely to inherit an inheritance than blacks, and in families that inherit inheritance, white heirs get ten times as much inheritance as blacks.

David Krugler, a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Prattville, pointed out that these racial violence incidents have left African Americans deeply traumatized and are also an important cause of tension between them and the police. Brandon Aldant, a member of the Tulsa Genocide Centennial Committee, said that looking around the United States today, people will still see the chain effect of the genocide a hundred years ago.

For most of the 20th century, the Tulsa genocide was ignored and forgotten. It was not until 1997 that Oklahoma established a committee to investigate the massacre and issued a detailed report four years later. This incident was included in the state's public school curriculum at the beginning of this century and was included in the American history textbook several years ago. The mainstream media in the United States did not widely report on the Tulsa genocide until the Centennial Day.

But just before the memorial day, Oklahoma legislation prohibits the teaching of courses in public elementary and middle schools in the state that cause “discomfort, guilt, pain, or psychological pressure” to students because of race or gender. This move immediately caused controversy and was believed to restrict school teaching and classroom discussions on racial equality issues.

The commemoration of the Tulsa genocide and related financial compensation issues have become one of the topics of the "cultural war" in the serious confrontation between the two parties in the United States. Judging from the differences between the two parties and the intensifying "cultural war", the United States still has a long way to go to achieve racial equality and racial justice.

[sotina886]

The American black genocide has been shocked for a century

Xinhua News Agency, Washington, May 31st (International Observation) The American black genocide was shocked for a century

　　Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Jianmei and Deng Xianlai

　　US President Biden issued an announcement on May 31, declaring that the day was "the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Genocide" and calling on the American people to "reflect on the deep roots of our country's racial terror."

　　Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma in the Midwestern United States. The incident of white mobs massacring black people and burning black communities here a hundred years ago is one of the most serious incidents of racial violence in American history, but it has been covered in dust and forgotten for a long time, and it has only been remembered in recent years. The Biden administration intends to take this matter to ease the pressure on racial issues in the United States, but the road is still long because it is hard to return.

　　At the beginning of the 20th century, Tulsa quickly became rich due to the discovery of oil nearby, and people flocked, including many blacks. Under the apartheid system, there are only a few areas in the city that allow blacks to buy land and run businesses, and the northern Greenwood community is one of them. After more than ten years of painstaking efforts by black entrepreneurs, it became one of the most prosperous black economic and cultural centers in the United States at that time, and was known as "Black  Wall Street". The living standard of many blacks here exceeds that of many local whites. This has attracted resentment from white racists and has become an important factor in the genocide.

　　On May 30, 1921, a 19-year-old black shoe polisher was arrested on suspicion of "assaulting" a 17-year-old white girl in an elevator. The local white newspaper published a supplementary but unsubstantiated report the next day. . From May 31st to June 1st, white mobs attacked the black community of Greenwood. They set fire, looted, shot, and even used airplanes to throw homemade Molotov cocktails from the air. In the raging fire, more than 1,200 houses and shops were burnt to rubble, about 300 black people were killed, and about 10,000 black residents were displaced.

　　Viola Fletcher, a 107-year-old survivor, testified before Congress in mid-May this year: "I will never forget the violence of white mobs when we left home. Our country may forget this history, but I Can't."

　　As the white girl always denied being assaulted, the arrested black youth was acquitted a few months later. However, none of the thugs in the massacre were prosecuted, and no survivors received reasonable compensation. Most blacks in the Greenwood community were forced to move to more northerly areas of the city. Today, Tulsa is rich in the south and poor in the north. There is a significant gap between black residents in the north and whites in the same city in terms of employment, health, and economic status. Government data shows that the median income of white households is about 20,000 US dollars higher than that of black households; in 2019, nearly one-third of residents living below the poverty line are blacks, and only 12% are whites.

　　Biden admitted in the memorial announcement that the US federal government played a disgraceful role in this incident. The announcement stated that after the massacre, the local government passed laws and regulations to implement new building standards. The high cost of building houses prevented most black families from rebuilding their homes; the federal government classified the Greenwood community as a “dangerous” area, making it impossible for black homeowners to agree. Conditions to obtain housing loans. In the decades that followed, federal investment, including the construction of a federal highway through Greenwood, caused the community to be demolished and cut off.

　　In the United States at the beginning of the last century, the Tulsa genocide was by no means an isolated case. Research by William Tuttle Jr., a retired professor of American history at the University of Kansas, shows that between 1917 and 1923, many communities of color across the United States suffered various forms and levels of violence, and more than 1,100 Americans were killed in such incidents. .

　　A major consequence of the Tulsa genocide and similar incidents is that they deprived blacks of opportunities for the accumulation of intergenerational wealth. Some American scholars pointed out that the huge gap in wealth between whites and blacks in the United States is partly due to the repeated destruction of black towns, houses, and businesses in history, hindering their ability to accumulate and inherit wealth and enable future generations to obtain a good education. A 2013 research report found that white Americans are five times more likely to inherit an inheritance than blacks, and in families that inherit inheritance, white heirs get ten times as much inheritance as blacks.

　　David Krugler, a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Prattville, pointed out that these racial violence incidents have left African Americans deeply traumatized and are also an important cause of tension between them and the police. Brandon Aldant, a member of the Tulsa Genocide Centennial Committee, said that looking around the United States today, people will still see the chain effect of the genocide a hundred years ago.

　　For most of the 20th century, the Tulsa genocide was ignored and forgotten. It was not until 1997 that Oklahoma established a committee to investigate the massacre and issued a detailed report four years later. This incident was included in the state's public school curriculum at the beginning of this century and was included in the American history textbook several years ago. The mainstream media in the United States did not widely report on the Tulsa genocide until the Centennial Day.

　　But just before the memorial day, Oklahoma legislation prohibits the teaching of courses in public elementary and middle schools in the state that cause “discomfort, guilt, pain, or psychological pressure” to students because of race or gender. This move immediately caused controversy and was believed to restrict school teaching and classroom discussions on racial equality issues.

　　The commemoration of the Tulsa genocide and related financial compensation issues have become one of the topics of the "cultural war" in the serious confrontation between the two parties in the United States. Judging from the differences between the two parties and the intensifying "cultural war", the United States still has a long way to go to achieve racial equality and racial justice.