Herman Cain passed away a few days ago. He was 74 and died of COVID-19.
It did not take long for some to blame Cain’s death on the Trump rally or the lack of a mask.
Unfortunately, these people forgot that Mr. Cain was given a 30% chance of survival from stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to his liver. He underwent chemotherapy and surgery to remove the cancer from his liver and was declared cancer-free in 2007.
The other side of Mr. Cain is that he was an African-American success story.
I read about his life in a campaign book published in 2011. He grew up in Atlanta as the son of a chauffeur and a domestic worker. After college, he started his corporate career with Coca-Cola and the Pillsbury Company and was eventually named CEO of Godfather’s Pizza. He later led the National Restaurant Association, lobbying on Capitol Hill.
He was convinced that a good education, hard work and persistence would bring success to every American, regardless of color or creed. As a Black man growing up in the deep south during Jim Crow, he must have faced enormous obstacles. But I never heard him complain, or blame others.
Sadly, no one will remember Herman Cain in our schools. This is because he was a black Republican and a man who understood that looking back never improved anyone.
Rest in peace, Mr. Cain.
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