The contextual narrative of race, within the America society, dictates that “Americanism” is an attribute of whiteness which he (Ta-Nehisi) points to a Obama election not being that of a black man, but rather of a man with extraordinary capabilities elected into office (and happens to be black). As such, his election is upheld by the fact he is an American president, representing “Americanism” as a consensus of black integration and white acceptance; and a victory to black politics.
Historical racial anger towards African-Americans by the white majority was Obama’s opposition. Ta-Nehisi notes that the double standard that “requires blacks to be twice as good … haunts and constrains the Obama presidency ( Ta-Nehisi, 2012) .” The opposition against Obama presidency was to vilify his legacy and uphold white supremacy, in an effort to delegitimize his presidency in the way of ensuring that never had America been ruled by a black president.
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The context of race in Clinton and Bush presidencies never emerged, especially in times of controversial decisions making or scandalous escapades. However, in Obama presidency, Americans saw him and his initiatives through the race lens. Race defined Obama presidency, in the sense that he was judged as a “black president” and not as an American president. In as much as the younger generation are less entrenched into racial differences, the race card affected all generations and continues to be a controversial issue within American society.
African-Americans involvement in politics has grown, evidenced by the election of black Governors, Senators, Members of Congress, and a President. Political involvement of African-Americans has not primarily been conducted on a political platform, rather more work has been communal, through religious and civic initiatives. This is evidenced by the works of Reverend Jesse Jackson and activists such as Shirley Sherrod.
The involvement of African Americans into politics has altered the stature of black people consequentially helped improve their stake and role in the America society. The political will is no longer about equal rights, but rather improving the stature and standing of African-Americans within the American society in essence of attaining equality at every level ( Baum, 2015) . The political power of African-Americans has grown in terms of representation, influence, and impact. This is evidenced by a continued increase in representation in politics and along different social platforms that actively agitate for social issues.
References
Baum, B. (2015 ). The Post-Liberal Imagination: Political Scenes from the American Cultural Landscape. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Ta-Nehisi, C. (2012). Fear of a Black President. The Atlantic . Retrieved From: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/09/fear-of-a-black-president/309064/
