Dr. Johnson on the tie that binds Africans and African Americans

From Dr Johnson's speech below at Newseum for the President Forum with the Young African Leaders:

"...On Behalf of the some 4 million women of African descent across this nation and throughout the diapsora, I extend to you our hands of friendship, of solidarity and of support [..] As you return home and take the experience with you and begin a new ones and continue your important work of creating better families, better communities, better nations and ultimately a better world, go home knowing that your struggle is our struggle, your fight is our fight and though have much to do in your homeland to create a brighter future for this generation and the generation yet to come, know that we too, on these shores have much work to do as well. None of us have yet earned the right to raise to a place of complacency. There are still before us too many wrongs that need to be righted, too many opportunities that need to be expanded, yet in reflecting on the amazing accomplishment of our shared past, I could not be more confident in our capabilities to achieve the goals that our ancestors barely dared to even desire [..] It is this year that you celebrate a half century of freedom from the tyranical oppression and natural resources depletion that colonization has brought to your shore, know that we too, those of us who call ourselves African Americans have a very personal understanding of your contemporary situation, we are in fact not as far along the path of freedom as you found yourselves today..."

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