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When you allow racial disparity and institutional inequity to affect one part of the country, eventually it's coming back to get everyone.

We are now operating a school system in America that's more segregated than at any time since the death of Martin Luther King.

An awful lot of people come to college with this strange idea that there's no longer segregation in America's schools, that our schools are basically equal; neither of these things is true.

Back then, a half-a-century ago, the situation was totally different. Economically, we were practically on our knees, and politically, we were still excluded from the community of nations. Today, in this respect, we have a totally different and much more stable basis.

Since that time up until the present time, there have been progress, and changes all through the time. The changes have not come by themselves; these changes have come from the doings of everyone in the country.

We are a multicultural country - always have been, and to our credit, always will be. It is something that we should be very proud of and embrace.

Racial segregation has come back to public education with a vengeance.

We are a diverse country, but we are one country. And we are at our best when we come together as Americans, not despite our differences, but in celebration of them.