Forgetting & Remembering...

One of my favorite Hawaiian books is entitled, "Waikiki:A History of Forgetting & Remembering" by Andrea Freeser. I picked it up since it had a picture of my great-great grandfather standing on Waikiki beach in historical costume. In the early part of last century, they had a floral carnival and parade, which I think was started around 1906 and ended around 1915. Today we have things like the Kamehameha Day parade and the Aloha Week festivals, but back then it was just the floral parade. Ever so often, when I watch or read something, that phrase, "Forgetting & Remembering" enters my brain. I was reminded of it while watching the premeire of "Who Do You Think You Are?". Vanessa Williams ancestor was a lawmaker elected in Tennessee in the 1860's. One of the first African Americans elected back then. These African American men were elected, they tried to do good deeds to elevate their people to equality with everyone else, but society would not have it and eventually their time there was forgotten.