As I watch the historic events of our first African American President soon to be in office I want to say a thank you to Stanley Anne Durham, Barack Obama's mother. Thank you for giving us and the world a person who is such an inspiration and hope to millions. My own wife is now pregnant with our son. You have given me much to be proud of and that someday I too will use Obama as that shining example of what it means to be a bi-racial child who can be all that he can be. It is a shame that you are not here in the flesh to see your son reach such an astonishing level for all the world to see, but you are here in spirit. You are the unseen hero who paved the way for your son. When the history books are written on your son however his journey turns out to be, it will be you who will be the bedrock foundation who started it all for a chubby little kid back then on his amazing journey. I thank you and the millions of children of bi-racial ancestry thank you for what you and your parents have done for President Elect Barack H. Obama.
Great, great post! Thank you for it. It was amazing. Side note: Barack Obama's family, being both Kenyan and Irish, never experienced slavery. However, it was very strange to watch the Dublin rock group U2 performing onstage at the Lincoln Memorial yesterday. They knew they were celebrating one of their own. The forgotten story is that Obama represents two different peoples that were enslaved: African-Americans and the Irish that were trafficked as human cargo to the United States and the Caribbean in the 1600s. Their slavery did not last as long as African slavery. And a lot of effort was made to keep this part of the story quiet for many years. But, to a historian, Obama's presidency has even more significance than what most people think. The irony of an African man with Irish roots becoming President is off the charts.
To Obama's mom I know your mother had informed you of the great things your son had done. Thanks for having this great human being.
