By Daniel Johnson-Kim, Editor in Chief
Beginning Jan. 20, 2008 President Barack Hussein Obama will lead the United States of America in an office blocks away from where slaves were once chained, displayed and sold. He will be the Commander-in-Chief of a military that did not officially integrate until 1948. He will sponsor dinners and events that men of his color were not allowed to attend in the past. He will sleep near rooms where Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
His presidency will help heal this country’s embarrassing record of racism, segregation, separation and hate.
Finally, the United States of America has its first black president.
Emotions – both jovial and heated – tied to this historical moment in this country are spreading throughout the globe. In Kenya they declared a national holiday, one British newspaper declared Obama’s election “One giant leap for mankind” and even President George W.Bush recognized the significance of Obama’s victory.
“What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters,” Bush said. “You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life. Congratulations and go enjoy yourself.”
Copies of the Nov. 5 edition of the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and newspapers across the country are in high demand. New York Times papers were on sale on eBay for as much as $600, and papers across the nation reported selling out the editions that reported Obama’s victory.
Black leaders and citizens have written various opinion pieces and acted as frequent guests on news channels, which focus on Obama’s victory and its historical impact.
Journalists and commentators on Election night expressed amazement and disbelief that a candidate from a minority group that was treated so harshly in the past could succeed like Obama did.
“I never went to a school where a black student went to school,” said CBS’ veteran anchor Bob Schieffer, describing his amazement after his own encounters with racism and segregation throughout his life.
Although some may be angry with Obama’s victory or disagree with his policies, they must not let their partisanship diminish what this means for our country – the American dream that anyone of any race, from any origin, can succeed in the U.S. is alive with the election of Obama.
Among all the reactions after the presidential election, the most touching was when an elementary-aged black boy told what Obama’s election meant to him.
While describing how proud he was of Obama, he began to cry. Spitting out words in between sobs, the boy was overwhelmed with emotion and sat down, letting his tears of joy stream down his face.
He finally has proof that a young black child in America can be anything when he grows up.
