Barack Obama: Elected President of the United States

It was a few minutes shy of 11 p.m. on Election Night when CNN announced that Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama had been projected to win the state of Virginia. Moments later, my wife and I watched our television screen in speechless amazement as the election results from California poured in leading CNN host Wolf Blitzer to announce that Barack Obama had received well over the 270 electoral votes needed for him to become the 1st African-American president elect of the United States of America.

Phone calls and text messages from friends and family members started flooding our phones shortly thereafter as we all shared our unbelief that we were actually witnessing this event. History had been made. And it would be made many times over as states that had traditionally gone to Republican candidates processed results showing that they were now going to a Democratic majority. One of such states was our home state of Indiana.

Our jaws dropped as we watched live footage of the respectful concession speech of Senator John McCain and the awe-inspiring acceptance speech of President-elect Barack Obama. Our three-year-old daughter played on the floor in front of us as we pushed the record button on our DVR so that we could share this moment with her when she grows older.

We then called our parents and our grandparents who were born during the Depression and who had experienced racism all throughout their lives. We knew that these moments were especially significant for them. My grandmother told me how my grandfather laughed and then later cried at the thought of a Black man finally being elected President in the United States.

My paternal grandfather always believed that such a day would come and had hoped that I would have such opportunities available to me as a young, educated Black man. It was my grandfather who forced me to watch the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993 when I was fourteen years old. When I said I didn’t want to watch it, he responded by saying “You should watch this. Who knows? One day you might be the President.” No sooner did I reply, “I don’t want to be President,” when he sternly countered, “Don’t ever say that. You don’t know what all you can become! You can be whatever you want to be!” Powerful words spoken by one who shined shoes as a boy growing up in a racist society during the Great Depression; Impactful words spoken to a privileged and talented teenager struggling with insecurity and his own ability to realize his dreams.

I realize that Barack Obama is a fallible human being; he is no savior and he is no saint. But his presidential victory was meaningful for me mainly because of its symbolism. It was proof that an overwhelming majority of the American people were willing to look past negative campaign tactics, personal prejudices and to vote for a candidate of an ethnic minority. It was also encouraging to see someone of an ethnic minority step into such a prominent leadership role. It was moving to see tearful, on-screen images of Reverend Jesse Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and countless others.

I watched the coverage of this election night and imagined the clouds of inferiority evaporating from the minds of both minority and underprivileged children all across the globe. I envisioned seeds of hope being planted by the on-screen images of those of different cultures and classes coming together with tears and joy.

Last night expanded the boundaries of what was possible. A long time coming. Truly a sight to behold.