In 1855, a man named John Mercer Langston became the first black man to be elected to a local office. It was in the small town of Brownhelm Township, Ohio. He wasnâÄôt the first black man to make history, but it was certainly a milestone. Just weeks ago, President Barack Obama was sworn in as the first black president of the United States, meeting yet another milestone. The nation watched as he, too, made history. Yesterday, this yearâÄôs celebration of Black History Month began. Every year since 1926, Americans have paused during the month of February to celebrate the history that so many blacks have made. People like Langston met their own milestones to make events like ObamaâÄôs presidential inauguration possible. Remember Alexander Lucius Twilight , who was the first black to graduate college in America. In 1823, he received his bachelorâÄôs degree from Middlebury College and later went on to become the principal of the Orleans County Grammar School in Brownington, Vt. Remember Bessie Coleman , the first black licensed pilot, and Ralph J. Bunche , who mediated the Arab-Israeli truce, and in turn, became the first black to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Remember those who may not be in our history books âÄî the family members who may have been forced to ride in the back of buses. Remember every one of the slaves, who put in hours of labor only to be treated as lesser beings. We know weâÄôve come a long way in America since the age of slavery. In fact, there are people living today who once couldnâÄôt vote because of their race, but got a chance to vote for a black man as president of the United States. ThatâÄôs a pretty significant journey that the United States has made during the span of one lifetime. But why stop there? This editorial, accessed via UWire, was originally published in the Daily Kent Stater at Kent State University . Please send comments to [email protected].