Be it print or film, history in black and white is worth remembering

Last week began a period of history in review for me. A brief interlude with a fastnacht added to a moment of sweetness.

But February is a month of reminders. It is celebrated as Black History Month to remember those deeds and contributions of those too often forgotten.

It is a month, too, of reflection on some great deeds by some great people confronted with many problems of life that seemed almost insurmountable.

Presidents Day is a day to pause and examine some of those difficult times in our country’s history and the contributions of certain select individuals with undaunted courage.

I began my week watching the movie "Young Mr. Lincoln." Henry Fonda, who played Lincoln, a lawyer, represented two young brothers accused of murder. It is a 1939 classic. The story was meant to be a prelude to Lincoln becoming president.

And Lincoln’s presidency included drama, suspense and more than 620,000 dead in the Civil War. That's more than one might remember.

I cannot imagine any more qualified individual directing the ship of state during this era of despair and perel than old Abe himself.

In the end, he, too, would sacrifice his own life for freedom.

Another most interesting study this month has been the reading of Ron Chernow’s 900-page epic story, "Grant." It tells of Ulysses S. Grant's rise to power as this country’s most prized military leader during the Civil War, and his alliance with Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman.

Grant, although confronted with an unsupportive father, an obtrusive father-in-law, and a drinking problem that would have destroyed most men, would overcome these obstacles to confront and conquer an even more vicious enemy from the South.

Chernow’s book is one not to be laid down for long. Grant abhorred slavery and thought the institution should be abolished forever.

As perhaps the most wise and courageous general of the war, he encouraged and assisted those escaping slaves from the South to become soldiers of the Union Army, and their bravery in battle was as great as any who wore the uniform.

This footnote of history is often minimized as these soldiers fought to remove the chains of bondage for themselves and all those who followed them.

The United States Colored Troops represented some 175 regiments of the Union Army and constituted 10% of that fighting force. Sixteen individuals from these units were awarded the Medal of Honor, which was created by Lincoln in 1861.

The contributions of these soldiers during the war and their successes and bravery were invaluable.

Grant was often criticized throughout his military journey as a drunkard by his enemies, but his victories as a cavalry officer and military leader helped abate this criticism.

Grant would accept Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox and go on to become president of the United States from 1869-1877.

To say the 1860s was an epic challenge for our young country would be an understatement. We can learn many lessons from this period.

There is much to remember, and trying to erase or ignore history’s bad chapters are never conducive to good learning.

Also in my presidential history journey, I had the opportunity to watch "Sunrise at Campobello," a movie depicting Franklin D. Roosevelt’s visit to his summer home as vice president where one day after swimming he couldn’t move his legs.

Polio had cruelly attacked Roosevelt. I believe you know the results of this crippling disease as it robs its victims of mobility. He would be forever a handicap.

What would you do? Throw in the towel?

FDR had other plans.

“I feel I’ve had to go through the fire for some reason," said actor Ralph Bellamy, who portrayed Roosevelt. "Eleanor, it’s a hard way to learn humility, but I’ve had to learn it by crawling. I know what is meant by, ‘You must learn to crawl, before you can walk.’"

And crawl he did, but with grit and determination and no surrender to the disease.

His final pledge in the movie: “I have no intention of returning or retiring to Hyde Park and rusticating," meaning that he was not planning to return to his family home in the country.

To take the remaining portion of this column to remind you that Roosevelt was the only president elected four times would be only minuscule compared to his greatest achievements.

A man who had trouble standing on his legs would stand firm and confront many great obstacles and crises of this country.

FDR faced the Dust Bowl and Great Depression of the '30s, and the country’s entry into World War II (he died months before the end of the war, or he would have seen the Allied victory, too). I can’t begin to imagine how his body and brain must have endured during these epic challenges.

One final quote from the movie finds FDR suggesting that "most of our blessings come in heavy disguises."

I’m thinking that must be so.

Pete Waters is a Sharpsburg resident who writes for The Herald-Mail.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Sacrifices of Black Americans, U.S. presidents give good guidance