As Cornellians celebrate this Black History Month, we must take a moment to reflect upon how far this country has come. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s secured many basic rights for blacks, and America notably elected its first bi-racial president last November. Historically, great strides have also been made at Cornell. Alpha Phi Alpha, the country's first black fraternity, was established at Cornell in 1906, and in 1969, the Willard Straight takeover led to changes such as the creation of the Africana Studies and Research Center.

However, we cannot be too self-congratulatory. Obama’s presidency has not — and will not — magically ended racism. The City of Ithaca has been plagued with racially charged incidents in the past few years, most notably in the case of Amelia Kearney’s daughter, who was racially harassed by classmates in the Ithaca City School District. At Cornell, the percentage of black students in the freshman class fell from 5.9 percent to 4.5 percent between 2006 and 2008. Additionally, administrators have said that the University consists of fewer students from inner cities than in years past.

But let us not forget that blacks are not the only minority group still facing difficulties, both across the country and at the University. Many women encounter a glass ceiling in the workforce, particularly in the fields of math and science. The National Science Foundation revealed in 2004 that women make up only 24.7 percent of science and engineering occupations. In 2007, women made up less than 10 percent of the staff in the departments of science, technology, mathematics and engineering at Cornell. Similarly, only 31 percent of the entering engineering class in 2007 was female.

Additionally, the Asian and Asian American Campus Climate Task Force discovered that Asian and Asian American students consistently graduate from the University dissatisfied with their experience. Because of this, the task force has rallied to improve conditions for this population and is trying to create an Asian/Asian-American Community Center.

Another group that has faced many obstacles in recent years is the LGBT community. Many Americans were outraged on Election Day when California passed Proposition 8, banning gay marriage, alongside Florida and Arkansas. A few months later, Reverend Rick Warren, who supported Prop. 8, delivered the invocation at Obama’s Inauguration. In many ways, the people who support and identify as members of the LGBT community are at the forefront of a new civil rights movement.

With Black History Month upon us, we look back at the strides we have made. And as we celebrate the progress of our country and the University, let us not forget the ongoing struggles that many people face.