|
The Obama Inspired Renaissance |
|
O n September 22, 1862 The Emancipation Proclamation put the freeing of the slaves into motion. There, however, was a challenge with the entire process. On December 18, 1865 the Thirteenth Amendment abolished the institution of slavery in America and the salve now an American was left with the question, "Now What and What Next?".
Booker T. Washington accounts his mother as saying that she prayed for freedom but did not think she would live to see it.
So suddenly the New Americans found themselves free with no place to go and no plan to get there.
On November 4, 2008, with the election of President Elect Barack Obama, we experienced another Emancipation. We are no more physically free today than we were pre-November 4, 2008 at approximately 10pm, however, there has been a loosening of the reins on our mental and spiritual possibilities. We, again, can be seen for our  mental prowess and not just our physical or entertaining capabilities. We have been freed to another level and yet, like the Emancipation of the 1800's, have no idea as to what we are going to do with this new found intellectual and spiritual freedom. Post November 4 brings us into what can be called an Obama Renaissance. Now the Black intellectual has the potential for as much prominence as was available during period of the Harlem Renaissance.
It appears to have happened instantly, but took at least 47 years. Our children have a new figure to aspire to be like. Some discount the idea of role models, I say that we all have models that we pattern ourselves after. Some models teach us what to do and some are examples of what not to do. What happens on any national stage affects the minds of those most impressionable, to say it does not is naive and potentially detrimental. Out children see a new possibility that not even the generation of civil rights pioneers thought would come so quickly.
Whether we agree or not, Obama will set a standard for the world to see and judge. It is not fair to him as a person and Blacks as a people, but it happens to be the reality of his rise to the highest office in the land.
The question remains, how will we take advantage of this great opportunity. During the period of reconstruction blacks made great strides socially, economically, and politically but within a few years advancements were eroded away by those who were adverse to change. We ended up the recipients of Jim-Crow and Segregation.
Many will take issue with what I am about to purpose, but if we are not careful in 50 years we may be asking ourselves many of the same questions that the New Americans were asking after Reconstruction; mainly
WHAT HAPPENED?
|
