Last week George Wallace, who ran for President four times and was Alabama's Governor for 16 years, died at age 79. Wallace was shot and left paralyzed in 1972. He had been in poor health.
For many Americans, Wallace will forever remain an ugly symbol of hatred and racism. In 1963, Governor Wallace tried to block two African-American students from attending the all-white University of Alabama. Wallace believed in segregation, the forced separation of blacks and whites. "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!" he vowed.
But by 1982, Wallace had changed his mind. He realized that blacks and whites must live and work together. Last week people of all races attended his funeral.