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by Keith A. Mays (Author), Leo E. Rouse (Author), Todd V. Ester (Author)
One of the unfortunate truths in life is that the history of people of color contains gaps due to the lack of recognition of our contributions to society or to an intentional sanitizing of those accomplishments. On November 23, 2022, the movie Devotion was released. It is the remarkable story of Jesse Brown, the first African American aviator in US Navy history, who served in the 1950s. When I think about all the stories of extraordinary individuals in history that were a part of my formal education, there are so many, like Jesse Brown's, that remain stricken from the record. It matters that our stories are shared with others, as each of the unique aspects of our lives can be a blessing to someone and provide them with the steps necessary to help them reach their goals. Our stories provide much-needed context, whether they are mundane or extraordinary. They allow the world to know that we were here and the impact our lives made on the world, or concomitantly, how the world has influenced and shaped our lives. The stories profiled in this book focus on men of color in oral health who have blazed trails for themselves and others during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Throughout the book, you will read about candor and inspiration. We are thankful for our writers having shared so much of their journeys and their lives.
