"It was necessary, as a black historian, to have a personal agenda"

John Hope Franklin was an African American historian and also civil rights protestor that was a leader in the area of African American background. In this quote, he is emphasizing the significance of having a personal agenda as a black chronicler. He is suggesting that it is inadequate to simply record background, but that it is also vital to have an individual risk in the stories being informed. He is recommending that black historians should be actively participated in the procedure of revealing as well as analyzing history, which they must be driven by a desire to make a distinction in the lives of African Americans. By having a personal agenda, black historians can ensure that their job is significant and that it adds to the innovation of African American civil liberties and also equal rights.