Maybe there’s hope out there for humans after all.

Few would argue that there’s no longer a need to fight racism. Few, too, would argue that there haven’t been some pretty tremendous strides since its modern-time climax in the 1960s.

But just when you think all is lost, just when you think we’ve plateaued, dooming ourselves to decades more of division, something remarkable happens. Something remarkable happened last week.

It happened in Alabama, of all places.

And it was sparked by former Gov. George C. Wallace, of all people.

Wallace — perhaps in his hey day the most visible icon of racism and segregation — was immortalized in 1963 by physically blocking Vivian Malone Jones from attending classes at the University of Alabama.

Jones eventually got her education, and Wallace, now a tired man sick with disease, got the satisfaction of knowing he helped further bigotry.

A 1960s George Wallace would have sooner seen Jones content with a sub-standard education because she was black.

But last week, a 1990s George Wallace apologized to Jones.

He admitted he was wrong.

“He said he felt it was wrong, that it shouldn’t have happened,” Jones said before being honored with an award named in memory of Wallace’s wife. The award recognizes women who made major improvements in Alabama.

What’s more, Jones said she has forgiven Wallace.

It’s truly amazing that a model of hatred could admit 30 years later that he was wrong. It’s equally amazing that the object of his hatred could forgive.

There’s a lesson here, one we should all take to heart.

If George Wallace and Vivian Malone Jones can come together as civil people and reconcile, then so can all of society.

If George Wallace and Vivian Malone Jones can get past racial barriers, then there really is hope for the rest of us.