I am a 64-year-old father and grandfather. I decide to attend East Tennessee State University at 55 where I graduated summa cum laude in 2021 with degrees in history and sociology. Initially, I wanted finish school to fulfill a promise to my late parents and to show my grandsons that even at my age anything was possible. However, as I neared the time to walk across the graduation stage, I became increasingly aware of the conservative right's attempts to not only re-write African American history but also to in some cases dismiss its contributions to our country's legacy. I could not stand by and let that happen.