From literature, academics and jazz to medicine, art and politics (as well as sports and hip-hop -- yes, even hip-hop), the contribution from blacks to the American fabric has been great.

We've all heard of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks and George Washington Carver or as I like to think of them, the abridged version of Black History Month, but what about the Ella Bakers, Richard Wrights, Romare Beardens and August Wilsons?

Last semester, Princeton University professor Cornel West spoke as part of the Black Graduate Student Association's Kwanzaa Extravaganza. West, who understands what King called "the fierce urgency of now," called those in attendance -- blacks, whites, Latinos and Asians -- to action.

"The pursuit of excellence is integral in the pursuit of freedom," he said. "We must lift as we climb."

So, in accordance with Black History Month, scratch that -- American History Month (because let's be real, there is no American history without black history), I want to remind you of those who truly understood that the pursuit of excellence was vital in trying to reach the "mountaintop."

We must lift as we climb: black artists.

Considered "the first genius among Negro artists," Henry Ossawa Tanner was a painter whose style was rooted in the techniques of impressionism and romantic realism. Tanner is best known for his paintings of black life, including The Banjo Lesson, as well as his works on biblical subjects.

Specializing in portraits of black leaders -- including Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois -- Augusta Savage was a gifted sculptor and devoted arts educator. She opened New York's first gallery of black art in 1939.

We must lift as we climb: black inventors.

Single handedly shaping blood storage and transfusion techniques, Dr. Charles Drew was a pioneer in the field of medicine. He showed how plasma lasts longer than whole blood, a medical breakthrough that led to the creation of the modern blood bank. Drew used his new understanding of blood storage and transfusion to help establish the first blood banks.

Inventor Elijah McCoy, who garnered 57 patents in his lifetime, is best known for creating an automatic lubricator for oiling the steam engines of locomotives and boats. McCoy's devices were so reliable that people often wondered if machinery contained "the real McCoy."

We must lift as we climb: black authors.

Zora Neale Hurston wrote what is considered the first black feminist novel -- Their Eyes Were Watching God. The novel follows a black woman from the South in her search for a true identity. Hurston was known for showing the richness of black culture and American folklore. She was a major figure of the Harlem Renaissance.

Author Ralph Ellison wrote Invisible Man, arguably the most influential American novel of all time. The narrative chronicles black consciousness and modern alienation by following the black narrator of the novel from the South to the North, highlighting his journey from community to isolation, among other themes. The novel ventured to new territory during the 1950s through its exploration into the black psyche.

We must lift as we climb: black leaders.

The first black female U.S. Representative was Shirley Chisholm, a Congresswoman from New York City. On Jan. 23, 1972, Chisholm became the first major party black candidate for president. She championed for the civil rights of blacks throughout her lifetime.

Ralph Bunche was the first person of color to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He was given the award for his work in the United Nations as chief mediator in ending the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. He had both sides sign the Armistice Agreements of 1949.

But, like every great tale, there are always two sides to the story.

Blacks make up 12 percent of the nation's population, and in 2006, almost 15,000 Americans were murdered. Of those, 7,421 were black.

How is it that 12 percent of the nation is half of the murder victims?

Did I mention, according to the Office of Justice Programs, 94 percent of black victims were killed by blacks?

In 2000, Education Statistics Quarterly reported blacks had higher unemployment rates than both Hispanics and whites at every level of education.

While there are more staggering statistics, I say all this to say; the bad is just as much a part of black history as the good.

How do you want to be remembered?