To clarify, spirituals not only speak to everyone (they sure do, looking forward in time from their creation), but I meant that they are part of everyone's history (taking the back-looking, historical view).

Whether any individual's or group's part in creating or perpetuating them was shameful, proud, or ignorant-- we ALL carry that heritage, just as we do MLK Day and all it represents. We share the heritage, and we share the opportunity to do something with it NOW.

~Susan