A Black President. Thoughts the Day After Obama's Election, 2008.

Send us Fan MailReflections on Obama’s Election.  The Day AfterFor someone of my generation, it was hard to believe that we would ever have a Black President.  And then we had one.  I realized that this was a historic event and decided I should put my thoughts down in writing.  These are reflections written the day after that amazing election.  They are very personal, especially about my engagement with race and racism, and how that evolved over time.  But these thoughts are also analytical.  I try to do my political science thing as best I can.  This discussion reports  on how the aging Civil rights leaders reacted to Obama, how white voters reacted to Obama, and how my students reacted to Obama. I shared these with the university community and got very good feedback.  I also shared them with my students.  I always urge students (and others) to write something about historic events:  September 11,  the invasion of Iraq, the election of Donald Trump, the pandemic.  We are small bits of debris caught up in tornados but our modest reflections may be of interest to future generations. I hope my reactions to the Obama election keep your attention.  Note:  In case you were not aware, I also have a podcast on Obama’s memoir.  Thoughtful Comments:  [email protected]