This is an article I wrote on November 29th, 2008, when the whole world was excited about Obama's winning the presidential elections. It displays my point of view back then, in a few days I should be writing another one showing what I see and think and where I stand from Obama's Policies since he took the office in January 20th, 2009.
Barack Obama:: Is Black a Color or Culture?
For the past few months, since the United States Presidential Elections race started heating up, and candidates were narrowed to Barack Obama and John McCain, followers of the Elections, not only in the United States but also around the globe had no other topic than "Barack Obama", the "Savior", the "one who will bring change to the US and the world".
They spoke of his history, his "African Roots" and his "Islamic or Christian Religion Doubts", and how the American dream of equality despite racial, color and culture diversity will finally come true, if Obama is elected to be the "First Black President".
"America has elected the first black president", this phrase was repeated with enthusiasm on American and International radios and television stations on November 4th, 2008, the next days, Newspapers all over the world repeated the same phrase or "myth" as Abdul Karim Bengura states in his article posted in the Sierra Leone Concord Times.
Abdul Karim rises in his article a question that not many people considered asking, "Is Barack Obama the First Black President in the US?"
Now before going to his answer, we should also ask ourselves, why didn’t other people and why didn’t the media consider asking this question? Why do they keep repeating this "myth"? The first answer that would come to one's mind is that they simply do not know that there, in fact, had been another Black President of the US, if we actually meant by Black, those of African Origins.
However, this answer cannot be the best or most accurate one, since most of the people working or related to the Media, specifically Black Media are well read in African American History, in this case, the one thing we can think of is that the Black media did not want to dampen the excitement of voters predicting and hoping to be part of a great achievement in American History, as they thought it was, as for the White and other media, they did not want to acknowledge the part of American History which is Black.
Abdul Karim explains in his article that he wants to educate those who do not know and those who need to be reminded that Obama is not the First Black President. This is partly my reason to write and post this article as well. It has irritated me that too many Sudanese in and out of Sudan were too ecstatic about Obama's victory. It has aggravated me that the SPLM have actually organized a celebration for this event that took place on November 29th, 2008.
An article written by C. Stone Brown entitled "Who were the 5 Black Presidents" posted in Diversity Inc Magazine in February 2004, and Leroy Brown's Book "Black People and Their Place in History", in addition to J.A. Roger's book called "Five Black Presidents" and "The Hidden Lincoln" by William Herndon, are sources yielding together that there are six American Presidents, which are believed to have had "Black Blood".
Nonetheless, these sources do not provide evident proof of their claims, only an article entitled "Harding was first 'black president'" posted in the Baltimore Sun on October 7th, 1998, written by Theo Lippman offers a more grounded source as it goes to the complete history of Warren G. Harding's origins, where we can find his black blood in his great- great grandfather, Amos Harding, who was a "West- Indian Negro" as described in that article, a fact that haunted his Harding's life as a child and an adult.
In his childhood, Harding was called names by his school mates and even his school masters introduced him as "part black". As his career life was going ahead as a journalist, newspaper editor, new paper owner and finally a senator, stories of his black origin were being circulated by his enemies, they even distributed a Pamphlet written by Professor William Estabrook, Chancellor of Wooster college, stating that Harding had not one but two lines of Black ancestors, as his great grandmother was a "Negress".
Regardless of all the rumors, pamphlets and widespread stories of Harding's Black origins, political historians agree that Harding's racial genealogy had no impact or affect whatsoever on the vote outside the south, as he was elected president by 60% over 31% for James Cox, his democratic component.
According to these articles and reads, Obama is not the first black president, therefore celebrating this –so-called- historical- achievement- is not in place.
Another significant question that we need to ask ourselves is, "Is Obama Black?"
Several articles discussed this question, including an article entitled "Is Barack Obama Black?" written by Kimberly McClain DaCosta, from Harvard University, where she argues that Obama should be considered "mixed-race", not black, keeping in view that although his father was black, his mother is white. From my point of view Dacosta's article was all about proving the existence of the "mixed-race" identity and the need of its public recognition, but she did not really answer the question at hand.
Barack Obama is Black-colored. When it comes to the color of the skin, there is no single doubt that he is black, therefore he is the first black-skinned American president; but African countries and people are not celebrating his color, they assume that someone with African culture has finally entered the White House, which is completely and utterly wrong.
Barack Obama has black skin and black blood in his veins, thanks to his Kenyan Father, who, after divorcing his mother when Barack was only 2 years old went back to Kenya. Barack Obama only saw his father once after that. Obama was raised in Hawaii by his white mother of English and Irish descent, and her parents. At the age of six, Obama moved to Indonesia with his mother and his younger half sister Mia to live with his Indonesian step father, but, he returned back to Hawaii when he was 10 and lived with his grandparents until he moved to New York to study University.
From this short brief on the life of Obama, anyone would realize that Black/African Culture had no influence on Obama, as he lived most of his life with his white grandparents. So, why are we celebrating a man who was raised in Hawaii by his two white grandparents?
I am not completely anti-Obama as some of you might think, not at all, if I was American, I would be excited and delighted by his victory, not because he is African nor because he is black, but because he will understand the pain and struggle of different minorities in the States, as it is certain that during his life time, he had been through a lot of situations whereas he had been discriminated and prejudged by the color of his skin.
If I was American, I would be hopeful that Barack Obama will try to bring changes to America, although I will acknowledge the fact that the congress and the different lobbies, which he himself fought for their rights, are in control of the internal policies more than he is, but even the minimum changes I would highly appreciate.
But I am not American, I am Sudanese. A Sudanese living in Sudan, a Sudanese who is aware of the power of the American Politics on the Middle East and Africa, I am a Sudanese who believes that it is not the President of the United States who takes crucial decisions concerning the American Foreign Affairs with the rest of the world. I am a Sudanese who genuinely believes in conspiracy theories, and I truly believe that Barack Obama, might, bring changes to America, but he will not, even if he wanted, bring change to the Middle east of Africa. American Policy towards Africa in general and Sudan in particular will continue to serve non-other but their own benefit.
This is why; I am completely against the SPLM's celebration of Obama's Election, which was held on November 29th, 2008. The SPLM, according to their invitations, claim that "Sudan needs to celebrate Obama's victory at this important juncture of our history that extends back to seven thousands years of historical and contemporary diversity of cultures and religions. The election of Barack Obama represents a true moment of reconciliation and out country at this moment is in a dire need to reconcile with itself in order to cross to the other riverbank of citizens equal right".
What I do not understand, is why do we need an "American victory" for us to celebrate our beautiful diversity? And how does this victory relate to equality of citizens, or human rights in Sudan?
Another thing that puzzles me is why is the SPLM so confident and sure that Barack Obama foreign policy will be on their side?
Any follower to US politics and Sudan knows that the Republican Party and Bush Administration were friends of Southern Sudan as they sponsored the Naivasha talks and provided different support to the South after peace, whereas Obama's foreign policy is still suspicious, specially after he declared that he plans to bring back the American troops from Iraq, but suggests that American Forces must be sent to Darfur.
I don’t think that the SPLM are naïve enough to be fooled by Obama's skin color rather than his principles and planned strategies, but it seems that all African countries and leaders have fallen for the same trap.
I am sorry if I cannot be as ecstatic about Obama's victory as everyone else, but, to me, Barack Obama, is just another American President.
They spoke of his history, his "African Roots" and his "Islamic or Christian Religion Doubts", and how the American dream of equality despite racial, color and culture diversity will finally come true, if Obama is elected to be the "First Black President".
"America has elected the first black president", this phrase was repeated with enthusiasm on American and International radios and television stations on November 4th, 2008, the next days, Newspapers all over the world repeated the same phrase or "myth" as Abdul Karim Bengura states in his article posted in the Sierra Leone Concord Times.
Abdul Karim rises in his article a question that not many people considered asking, "Is Barack Obama the First Black President in the US?"
Now before going to his answer, we should also ask ourselves, why didn’t other people and why didn’t the media consider asking this question? Why do they keep repeating this "myth"? The first answer that would come to one's mind is that they simply do not know that there, in fact, had been another Black President of the US, if we actually meant by Black, those of African Origins.
However, this answer cannot be the best or most accurate one, since most of the people working or related to the Media, specifically Black Media are well read in African American History, in this case, the one thing we can think of is that the Black media did not want to dampen the excitement of voters predicting and hoping to be part of a great achievement in American History, as they thought it was, as for the White and other media, they did not want to acknowledge the part of American History which is Black.
Abdul Karim explains in his article that he wants to educate those who do not know and those who need to be reminded that Obama is not the First Black President. This is partly my reason to write and post this article as well. It has irritated me that too many Sudanese in and out of Sudan were too ecstatic about Obama's victory. It has aggravated me that the SPLM have actually organized a celebration for this event that took place on November 29th, 2008.
An article written by C. Stone Brown entitled "Who were the 5 Black Presidents" posted in Diversity Inc Magazine in February 2004, and Leroy Brown's Book "Black People and Their Place in History", in addition to J.A. Roger's book called "Five Black Presidents" and "The Hidden Lincoln" by William Herndon, are sources yielding together that there are six American Presidents, which are believed to have had "Black Blood".
Nonetheless, these sources do not provide evident proof of their claims, only an article entitled "Harding was first 'black president'" posted in the Baltimore Sun on October 7th, 1998, written by Theo Lippman offers a more grounded source as it goes to the complete history of Warren G. Harding's origins, where we can find his black blood in his great- great grandfather, Amos Harding, who was a "West- Indian Negro" as described in that article, a fact that haunted his Harding's life as a child and an adult.
In his childhood, Harding was called names by his school mates and even his school masters introduced him as "part black". As his career life was going ahead as a journalist, newspaper editor, new paper owner and finally a senator, stories of his black origin were being circulated by his enemies, they even distributed a Pamphlet written by Professor William Estabrook, Chancellor of Wooster college, stating that Harding had not one but two lines of Black ancestors, as his great grandmother was a "Negress".
Regardless of all the rumors, pamphlets and widespread stories of Harding's Black origins, political historians agree that Harding's racial genealogy had no impact or affect whatsoever on the vote outside the south, as he was elected president by 60% over 31% for James Cox, his democratic component.
According to these articles and reads, Obama is not the first black president, therefore celebrating this –so-called- historical- achievement- is not in place.
Another significant question that we need to ask ourselves is, "Is Obama Black?"
Several articles discussed this question, including an article entitled "Is Barack Obama Black?" written by Kimberly McClain DaCosta, from Harvard University, where she argues that Obama should be considered "mixed-race", not black, keeping in view that although his father was black, his mother is white. From my point of view Dacosta's article was all about proving the existence of the "mixed-race" identity and the need of its public recognition, but she did not really answer the question at hand.
Barack Obama is Black-colored. When it comes to the color of the skin, there is no single doubt that he is black, therefore he is the first black-skinned American president; but African countries and people are not celebrating his color, they assume that someone with African culture has finally entered the White House, which is completely and utterly wrong.
Barack Obama has black skin and black blood in his veins, thanks to his Kenyan Father, who, after divorcing his mother when Barack was only 2 years old went back to Kenya. Barack Obama only saw his father once after that. Obama was raised in Hawaii by his white mother of English and Irish descent, and her parents. At the age of six, Obama moved to Indonesia with his mother and his younger half sister Mia to live with his Indonesian step father, but, he returned back to Hawaii when he was 10 and lived with his grandparents until he moved to New York to study University.
From this short brief on the life of Obama, anyone would realize that Black/African Culture had no influence on Obama, as he lived most of his life with his white grandparents. So, why are we celebrating a man who was raised in Hawaii by his two white grandparents?
I am not completely anti-Obama as some of you might think, not at all, if I was American, I would be excited and delighted by his victory, not because he is African nor because he is black, but because he will understand the pain and struggle of different minorities in the States, as it is certain that during his life time, he had been through a lot of situations whereas he had been discriminated and prejudged by the color of his skin.
If I was American, I would be hopeful that Barack Obama will try to bring changes to America, although I will acknowledge the fact that the congress and the different lobbies, which he himself fought for their rights, are in control of the internal policies more than he is, but even the minimum changes I would highly appreciate.
But I am not American, I am Sudanese. A Sudanese living in Sudan, a Sudanese who is aware of the power of the American Politics on the Middle East and Africa, I am a Sudanese who believes that it is not the President of the United States who takes crucial decisions concerning the American Foreign Affairs with the rest of the world. I am a Sudanese who genuinely believes in conspiracy theories, and I truly believe that Barack Obama, might, bring changes to America, but he will not, even if he wanted, bring change to the Middle east of Africa. American Policy towards Africa in general and Sudan in particular will continue to serve non-other but their own benefit.
This is why; I am completely against the SPLM's celebration of Obama's Election, which was held on November 29th, 2008. The SPLM, according to their invitations, claim that "Sudan needs to celebrate Obama's victory at this important juncture of our history that extends back to seven thousands years of historical and contemporary diversity of cultures and religions. The election of Barack Obama represents a true moment of reconciliation and out country at this moment is in a dire need to reconcile with itself in order to cross to the other riverbank of citizens equal right".
What I do not understand, is why do we need an "American victory" for us to celebrate our beautiful diversity? And how does this victory relate to equality of citizens, or human rights in Sudan?
Another thing that puzzles me is why is the SPLM so confident and sure that Barack Obama foreign policy will be on their side?
Any follower to US politics and Sudan knows that the Republican Party and Bush Administration were friends of Southern Sudan as they sponsored the Naivasha talks and provided different support to the South after peace, whereas Obama's foreign policy is still suspicious, specially after he declared that he plans to bring back the American troops from Iraq, but suggests that American Forces must be sent to Darfur.
I don’t think that the SPLM are naïve enough to be fooled by Obama's skin color rather than his principles and planned strategies, but it seems that all African countries and leaders have fallen for the same trap.
I am sorry if I cannot be as ecstatic about Obama's victory as everyone else, but, to me, Barack Obama, is just another American President.
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