LEXINGTON VOTED #1 AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN DIVERSITY?

“Diversity” has been a number one, hot topic in corporate, political and social arenas during the last two decades. There are even academic course and degrees offered on the subject. If you have been through a required corporate training program or academic course you know that the goal is to help create better awareness and understanding of cultures, customs and beliefs other than your own so that our ever-growing and diverse populations can cohabitate and prosper through the transition to what some see as a more “global community”.  Lexington is like many other communities in America that are experiencing the same evolution of change. Is it actually change?

This type of change comes in forms that meet the needs of any population that is first surviving and then growing. Recent trends in joblessness have established agendas to help bring new corporations, sometimes foreign corporations, to towns like Lexington where community and government leaders compete with other  communities in and outside of the state to attract these companies to help create jobs to help create prosperity, to help… (“thank you, Ms. Mayor…  next!”)  

So when did Lexington rank as one of those top communities that through a need to survive and grow it became one of the most diverse communities in “America”. Well, the short answer is that it was part of a civic plan or organic evolution that started more than 500 years ago.  It is not some new plan to change a community as much as it is a part of the deepest history of the "Lexington community" (“say it isn’t so, Pa…say it isn’t so…”). Well, just hold on and settle down Junior, it is nothing more than history. BTW, your name Junior is of Latin etymology.

The deepest history of “Lexington” is perhaps one of the most fascinating and untold (in its entirety) histories that we know about an early America. Long before the community was known as Lexington and even before it was known as Saxe Gotha, this special community rested at a crossroads of civilizations near the convergence of major “freeways” and major rivers.  It was where survival answered by resources and the human desire for commerce brought people of diverse origins together in a community. Now, that’s an innovative and novel idea, n’est-ce pas?  (“yes, we know you did. Thank you, Ms. Mayor… next!”)

The recent discovery of “THE IDIAN HEAD” in Lexington county in restarting the discussion of this amazing community’s diverse and special history as a keystone to our early American culture and as a gateway to a rich, diverse and illustrious ancient past of people who prospered.

The main branch of the Lexington Libraries is hosting historian and writer Michael Jeffcoat to tell part of this remarkable history that is still emerging.  The event is on 11 March 2014 so check the library for details.

Lexington is, was  and always should be that special place at a crossroads where people survive and prosper as a community. (“… so sorry Ms. Mayor, we are out of time…next!”)