I spoke on Friday about the belief by African-American leaders in the importance of education. Why is their belief so strong? Simply stated, your ability to stand up for yourself depends entirely on your knowledge and your ability to communicate your thoughts, ideas and feelings to others. Some of the great and just ordinary people have been able to do that exceptionally well.

One such example is Benjamin Banneker, the son of a freed slave in Maryland, a mathematical wizard and a social activist; in 1791, he wrote a long letter to Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson in response to Jefferson’s assertion in a publication that blacks were void of mental endowments.

Banneker wrote, “that one universal Father hath given being to us all, and all that he hath not only made us all of one flesh…however diversified in situation and colour, we are all of the Same Family, and Stand in the Same relation to him.” Jefferson responded with encouragement and forwarded his letter to Paris for study.

Modern African-American orators have made their way to center stage. Senator Barack Obama from Illinois addressed the Democratic Convention in 2004, and spoke these inspirational words:

“Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let’s face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely. My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya. He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin-roof shack.

But my grandfather had larger dreams for his son. Through hard work and perseverance my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place, America, that shone as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before.”

Take hold of your education. Learn how to write well. Learn how to speak as clearly as you can. It will make all the difference in your life.