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Blacks See Obama's Success As Inspiration

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The New York Times

Published: June 5, 2008

Kwabena Sam-Brew, a 38-year-old immigrant from Ghana, doubted that Nana, his 5-year-old American-born daughter, would remember the rally that effectively crowned Sen. Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee on Tuesday night. But Sam-Brew said he would describe it to her:

"I will tell her, 'Tonight is the night that all Americans became one.'"

Sam-Brew, a bus driver living in Cottage Grove, Minn., said Obama's achievement would change the nation's image around the world, and change the mindset of Americans, too.

"We as black people now have hope that we have never, ever had," Sam-Brew said. "I have new goals for my little girl. She can't give me any excuses because she's black."

Many blacks exulted Wednesday in a political triumph that they thought they would never live to see. Many expressed hope that their children would draw strength from the moment.

"Not that we're so distraught, but our children need to be able to see a black adult as a leader for the country, so they can know we can reach for those same goals," said Wilhelmina Brown, 54, an account representative for U.S. Bank in St. Paul. "We don't need to give up at a certain level."

Alison Kane, a white 34-year-old transportation analyst from Edina, Minn., said Obama's success as a biracial politician would have a similar effect on her 21-month-old biracial daughter, Hawa.

"When she's out in, God knows where, some small town in rural America, they'll think, 'Oh, I know someone like you. Our president is like you,'" Kane said.

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