Page 8 The Skanner January 11, 2017
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Obama Racial Legacy: Pride, Promise, Regret — and Deep Rift
CHICAGO (AP) — He
entered the White House
a living symbol, breaking
a color line that stood for
220 years.
Barack Obama took
office, and race imme-
diately became a focal
point in a way that was
unprecedented in Amer-
ican history. No matter
his accomplishments, he
seemed destined to be
remembered foremost
as the first Black man
to lead the world’s most
“
Obama’s racial legacy
is as complicated as the
president himself.
To many, his election
post-racial society. He
was dubbed the Jackie
Robinson of politics. Af-
rican Americans, along
He knows poverty. He should have done more.
But I think if you look at ... all the factions that
he had to deal with, he probably got as much as
he could get done. So he didn’t do enough for
poverty, but I don’t blame him
powerful nation.
But eight years later,
was a step toward re-
alizing the dream of a
with Latinos and Asians,
voted for him in record
ment that spread
the falsehood that
Obama was born
in Africa. Trump’s
strong reliance on
white voters was
in sharp contrast
to the multiracial
coalition that gave
Obama his two vic-
tories.
“President
Obama represents
the face of the fu-
ture — multicultur-
al America. Donald
Trump represents
the old racial order
of the black-white
In this Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 file photo, divide,” says Fred-
Dixon Elementary School student rick Cornelius Har-
Khaliyah Davis listens to the national ris, director of the
anthem before celebrations for the Center on African
inauguration of President Barack American Politics
Obama in Chicago. Fredrick Cornelius and Society at Co-
Harris, director of the Center on lumbia University.
African American Politics and Society “And for the next
at Columbia University says, “President decades to come,
Obama represents the face of the future there will be a bat-
_ multicultural America. Donald Trump tle between those
represents the old racial order of the two viewpoints of
black-white divide. … And for the next what America is.”
It took more than
decades to come, there will be a battle
two
centuries for
between those two viewpoints of what
America
to elect
America is.”
a Black president.
It will take many
numbers in 2008, flush
years after he leaves of-
with expectations that
fice to sort out what it all
he’d deliver on hope and
meant.
change for people of col-
or.
“If he can do it, I can do
Some say he did, ush-
it, too.”
ering in criminal justice
—Cheryl Johnson, of
reforms that helped mi-
Chicago’s Altgeld Gar-
norities, protecting hun-
dens public housing
dreds of thousands of
project, on Obama as a
immigrants from depor-
lasting symbol.
tation, and appointing
racially diverse leaders
Two iconic images of the
to key jobs, including the
Obama presidency:
first two Black attorneys
The president patient-
general. These support-
ly bends over as a 5-year-
ers say he deserves more
old Black boy touches
credit than he gets for
his head, after the child
bringing America back
asked Obama if they had
from the worst recession
the same kind of hair.
since the Great Depres-
A 106-year-old Black
sion, the killing of Osama
woman joyfully dances
bin Laden, and a major
with the president and
expansion of health care
first lady, beaming as she
that secured insurance
declares: “I am so happy.
for millions of minori-
A Black president. Yay!”
ties. They celebrate his
Born a century apart,
family as a sterling sym-
these two visitors to the
bol of Black success.
White House convey
But Obama also frus-
the potent symbolism
trated some who be-
of Obama’s presiden-
lieve he didn’t speak out
cy, a luster that hasn’t
quickly or forcefully
dimmed. For many Black
enough on race or push
Americans, it’s not so
aggressively enough for
much
what
policies
immigration reform.
Obama proposed but
And his presidency
his mere presence in the
did not usher in racial
Oval Office that has mat-
harmony. Rather, both
tered most.
Blacks and Whites be-
“You can’t put a price
lieve race relations have
tag on that,” says Loretta
deteriorated, according
Augustine-Herron, a for-
to polls. Mounting ten-
mer community activist
sions over police shoot-
who worked with Obama
ings of African Ameri-
in Chicago’s Altgeld Gar-
cans prompted protests
dens in the 1980s. “If he
in several cities and the
never did anything else
emergence of the Black
for African-Americans,
Lives Matter movement.
just the fact that he occu-
Perhaps most striking-
pies the White House, it
ly, the president’s suc-
lets us see ourselves in a
cessor, Donald Trump,
different light. ... We see
is seen by many as the
a chance for us to fit into
antithesis of a colorblind
the United States soci-
society, a one-time leader
of the “birther” move-
See OBAMA on page 10
AP PHOTO/NAM Y. HUH
By SHARON COHEN and
DEEPTI HAJELA, Associ-
ated Press