Herman Cain made his own mark for racial progress

Much has already been said, and rightly so, about the heroism of Lewis.

Lewis is well known for such historic moments as his participation as a young man in the Nashville sit-in movement that desegregated lunch counters; the Freedom Rides that helped integrate buses across the South; and his brave stand with hundreds of other marchers at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where Lewis and others were beaten by Alabama troopers.

I won’t add to the voluminous words of praise for this exceptional human being other than to humbly express my own gratitude for all his sacrifice and valor in fighting for equal rights and justice for all.

Lewis, a Democrat, deserves every good word that has been said and written about him.

We have heard fewer accolades, though, for Cain, a conservative Republican.

That’s understandable in one sense. Cain pursued a career path that led him through the tedious trenches of Corporate America rather than onto the front lines of conflict in the civil rights battles that made Lewis famous.

But Cain’s legacy deserves to be remembered all the same.

The progress of blacks in America, indeed of all races in America, depends not only upon the courageous character of the crusaders who break down closed doors of opportunity through marches and protests; it rests also upon the quiet determination of the industrious achievers who through hard work and endurance pass through those doors once they at long last are opened.

As a youth, Herman Cain learned from the work ethic of his parents. His father worked as a barber, chauffeur, and janitor. His mother was a domestic cleaner. After starting out with little money, the family managed to buy their own home and to later move into a bigger one. Following high school, Cain got a bachelor’s degree in math from Morehouse College and a master’s degree from Purdue University in computer science.

After a few years as a ballistics analyst for the U.S. Department of the Navy, Cain made his way up the private-sector ladder, working as a computer analyst at Coca-Cola before moving onto Pillsbury. At that company, he gained attention with his expert management of Burger King and Godfather’s Pizza restaurants. In 1988, he and several partners bought Godfather’s Pizza from Pillsbury.

Americans of all races are inspired by such rags-to-riches stories.

While Cain’s biography might not include high-profile participation in the civil rights movement, Cain’s achievements are the kinds of successes that help produce generational wealth in families whose ancestral roots include the horrors of slavery and discrimination.

Cain and others like him are symbols of the progress America has made and must continue to make.

Among other distinctions, Cain’s career trajectory included runs for the U.S. presidency in 2000 (briefly) and in 2012 — and as a businessman looking to shake up politics as usual, Cain foreshadowed the rise of Donald Trump in 2016.

“Most of the people who are in elective office in Washington, D.C., they have held public office before,” he told audiences. “How’s that working for you?”

While one could debate the details, Cain’s “9-9-9 Plan” epitomized the kind of commonsense approach that should be more prevalent in our politics. He proposed replacing the federal tax code with a 9% personal income tax, 9% federal sales tax, and a 9% corporate tax.

Cain trusted the innate goodness of the American people. He often expressed gratitude for the opportunities available in America.

“The majority of the people in the country don’t care what color I am,” he once said.

Another time, he remarked: “My great-great-grandparents were slaves. And now I’m running for president of the United States. Is this a great country or what?!”

President Trump, as a lifelong businessman himself, understands the value of Cain’s contributions. On Twitter, he described Cain as “a Powerful Voice of Freedom and all that is good.” He added: “Herman had an incredible career and was adored by everyone that ever met him, especially me. He was a very special man, an American Patriot, and great friend.”

Cain never seemed overly consumed with issues connected specifically to race. Because of that, his role in helping expand opportunities for minorities might be overlooked by some. But Cain’s resistance to fixating on race could be considered one of his virtues. His perspective fits perfectly, after all, with Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream that one day all Americans would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin.

So as we mourn the deaths of both Lewis and Cain, let us take to heart the legacies and lessons they both leave behind them. Both men deserve our nation’s admiration and respect.

Curtis Hill is Indiana’s attorney general.