I write this on January 17th, the 264th anniversary of Paul Cuffe’s birth and one day after the nation celebrated Martin Luther King Day. Both these men led heroic lives devoted to educational attainment and racial equality. Each of these men was a role model especially for young people that if you apply yourself, no matter where you start out, you can make your mark on the world.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King belongs to the world which has honored him over and over again and all of those honors are richly deserved.

Capt. Paul Cuffe belongs to Westport. He built the first integrated school here. He financed the Friends Meeting House, which still stands here. He operated a successful international maritime business from our shores.

And yet we cannot find a way to honor him. In the 206 years since his death we have offered up nothing but excuses. A small, hard working committee has organized lectures, written books, plays, exhibits - all with the intent of educating our towns leaders. But our leaders are unmoved.

Martin Luther King, Jr., reminded us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” I wonder.

John Bullard

Westport Point