I often tell the story of the time I disappointed my dad the most. It was back in 1980's when Rev. Jesse Jackson was running for president. I was on my way out the door to hang out with my friends when my dad stopped me and asked if I wanted to wanted to watch some of the news coverage of Rev. Jackson's campaign. I replied "why would I want to do that he is just wasting every ones time and money anyway. They are never going to elect him or any other black man". My father immediately set me straight. He told me that without men like Jesse that we(black people) wouldn't have the rights that we have now. He said that win or lose we have to try to do more and be more and not settle. I was amazed that this man who grew up in the 50's, went to segregated schools and lived through the civil rights movement could have such a positive attitude about this. Seeing everything that he had seen in his life surely he didn't really think that a black man could be President.
That attitude is why yesterdays events are some important. An African American becoming President seemed unattainable then. As black children growing up in the 70's and 80's becoming President of the United States wasn't something that we aspired to be. I saw the KKK ride through town on their way to a rally. I remember seeing pictures of that rally the next day in the newspaper. I also remember seeing the Klan march in a neighboring town in protest of interracial relationships. I remember black children being cut from sports teams or being benched in order to make room for white children. I could go on and on. We were always told that we could be anything that we wanted to be but why would we believe that when our day to day lives told us something different
Those days are now gone. Children of all races now not only think that they could be President they really can be. I am happy for my children, my nieces and my nephews. They get to grow up in a world where they can really aspire to be anything. My father believed it was possible all those years ago and my father was right.
