Four decades after the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Americans elected the first black President of the United States. This evolution of political rights for African Americans may give the illusion of success, but according to Associate Professor of Philosophy Todd Franklin, Black America has changed its tune regarding the future several times in recent history.
In a discussion entitled “Obama and the State of Black America,” Franklin compared his own generation with his mother’s by highlighting the different attitudes expressed in each generation’s music. Franklin’s mother’s favorite song from her youth, “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke, laments the conditions of the Jim Crow era while looking forward to the Civil Rights Movement. This emphasis on hope contrasts significantly with the theme of disillusionment in a song from Franklin’s youth, “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash. While the legal and political woes of Black America have been mostly addressed, many of the social and economic problems persist into the present day. As the lyrics to “The Message” assert, Black Americans are still relegated to a second-rate life.
In a clear illustration of how little has actually changed, Franklin examined unemployment rates over the course of the past 30 years. In 1982, the unemployment rate for blacks was a little more than half that of whites. In 2008, prior to President Obama’s election, the unemployment rate for blacks was a little less than half that of whites. But as of January 2011, unemployment for blacks has risen to about half that of whites; the racial gap has increased under the Obama Administration.
Given the remaining —and even worsening — social and economic inequalities between white and Black America, Franklin concluded that President Obama cannot be the salvation so many had hoped for during the election season of 2008. This is not a personal fault of the President’s, but rather a realistic assessment of the influence a single politician can have in effecting change.
“[Obama’s] presidency is insufficient to transform the situation for many blacks,” said Franklin. “He is not a ‘black messiah.’ He is not saving Black America, at least not yet.”
Rather, Franklin sees President Obama’s role as that of a messenger, whose mantra is one of hope and encouragement. Franklin then posed a question to his audience: “If Black Americans hear and heed Obama’s message about the nature of hope, what types of Black efforts will be required to substantially improve the state of Black America?”
Many students kept with the theme of hope and encouragement, arguing that an increased awareness could initiate social changes such as improved living conditions, which are required for broader opportunities such as education. Students also warned against complacency now that Obama has an opportunity to represent the political progress of Black America. He is, after all, a politician who cannot fully dedicate himself to a cause without appearing to favor a specific sector of the national population. Another student posited that while Obama is certainly an “other,” he does not necessarily represent Black America. Others argued that Obama’s achievements have opened doors for people, even if only by providing hope for change.
Finally, Franklin asked his audience to consider what the current generation plans to do with its hope for the future of Black America. Debate ensued regarding whether this generation actually possesses the hope that characterized earlier generations. While many parrot the sentiments of the Civil Rights era, the disillusionment of recent decades tempers this emotion today. Participants eventually determined that atmosphere of inclusiveness will be important in achieving the goals of Black America. A student pointed out that non-blacks in the audience had likely felt left out of the conversation and that the best way to effect change would be for Black America to reach out to potential allies on an individual and national scale.
President Obama’s message of hope in action does ultimately resonate with today’s generation, which believes that Black America needs to reach out instead of sitting back and waiting for a messiah to offer a solution.
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