The election of an African American man to the Presidency of the United States of America marks a watershed in the relationship between Black and Whites in America.

As a Black man in my 60′s, I never thought I would see this day come.

Words cannot express my joy and relief that first, America was spared the Coup d’Grace by the neocon supporters of George Bush. Then, I was so proud of Whites and everyone else who made Obama’s election possible. I can say that now, I am Truly Proud to be an American!

To think that I can remember when Sammy Davis Jr., the great Black entertainer, was appearing on Broadway in New York with Dinah Shore or one of the great White female singers at the time and people broke the glass doors in the theater to protest their appearing together on stage.

Of course, Obama did not do this on his own. As he acknowledges, he is standing on the shoulders of those who came before him and were not able to make it themselves, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X readily come to mind.

But I think it was more than just those legendary historic figures that made Barack’s feat possible.

By dint of hard work and achievement, many Blacks in the last 30-40 years have broken through and became outstandingly successful in America, in spite of the fact that the American Establishment has continued to spew out negative stereotypes of Black people every day on TV, the news, fake science, like the book, “the Bell Curve” by Charles Murray and others that purported to “prove” that Blacks are inferior to Whites.

Black business people became Billionaires during this period, Bob Johnson of BET and Oprah Winfrey, heads of Fortune 500 companies, like Ken Chennault of American Express and Time Warner’s Dick Parsons.

In fact, there was a virtual explosion of competent Black operators who smashed the stereotypes throughout the Society during that period.

Michael Jordan was a hero to Everyone. Bill Cosby’s TV family presented what would have been an oxymoron as late as the 60′s, a “normal” Black upper middle class family and was rewarded as the top TV program for several years.

Tiger Woods, breaking down the racial barriers in one of the last, approved bastions of White separatism, not with bricks or violence, but by excellence and skill.

Oprah, besides being a fabulously successful, wealthy woman, is to this day, perhaps the most influential woman in the world! “Oprah says…” is a phrase that is uttered by White woman of all ages across this country.

In the popular culture it is no longer jarring to see Blacks in every role, even as the President of the United States in the hit series 24.

I feel that these Black achievers made it more and more difficult for intelligent Whites to maintain on any level that Blacks were somehow, inferior and incapable of achievement in any field they chose.

Of course Obama had to be Super Qualified to get elected; Ivy League under grad and Law school, Editor of the Harvard Law Review, (first Black), Constitutional Law Professor, Best Selling author, winner of a state wide election to the Illinois Senate and only the third Black elected to the US Senate, outstanding orator, etc.

Although this has always been the case when Blacks score a “First,” hopefully, it will reinforce the need for excellence among Blacks, especially the youth. This is the most powerful example of excellence in action you could imagine.

Finally, even in the most sensitive area, sex and marriage, acceptance of interracial relationships is at least publicly accepted in all parts of the country, even among Black women who have been historically hostile to Black men dating White women.

Interracial dating sites are chock full of women and men of all races, stipulating that “Race does not matter!” That is indeed is a most basic indicator that things are really changing.

My biggest hope is that his election will spur even greater interaction and equality among the races. The stage is set for us all to finally repudiate any prejudices we have against one another and finally achieve the greatness the Founding Fathers foresaw in this great country.

Copyright 2008 Ralph Flanagan. Ralph is a writer and thinker and encourages everyone to “Reach across the aisle” and meet and discuss the new racial paradigm heralded by Obama’s election while making new friends at his Yahoo Forum, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Friendsofallraces/

Author: Ralph Flanagan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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