People died so tonight could happen
Many black people could not vote in 1961 when Obama was born
People died so tonight could happen
The following article was datelined Aug. 5, 1961, and appeared in the Sunday New York Times the following day. It was headlined: BLIND RIDER HELPS BREAK COLOR LINE:
JACKSON, Miss., Aug. 5 (AP) -- Two Freedom Riders, a blind white woman and a Negro, broke the segregation barrier today in a Jackson, Miss., bus depot.
When that landmark event took place, Barack Obama was all of one day old. He was born on Aug. 4. 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Here's some other stories that appeared in the Times the week that Obama was born:
3 U.S. SUITS SEEK VOTES FOR NEGROES:
WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The Government filed three civil rights suits today. They charged that Negroes had been denied voting rights in Montgomery County, Alabama, and Walthall and Jefferson, Davis Counties, Mississippi.
NEW CANAAN GETS HOUSING-BIAS POLL:
NEW CANAAN, Conn., Aug. 5 -- A survey to determine whether Negroes would be welcomed as home owners here is being taken by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
On the day that Barack Obama was born, there were no black federal judges in the United States -- that would not happen until the day after:
HYANNIS PORT, Mass., Aug. 5 (AP) -- President Kennedy has decided to name James Benton Parsons as a Federal district judge. He will be the first Negro appointed to such a judical post in the continental United States.
On the day that Barack Obama was born, black people in a number of cities and towns across the United States could not swim in the same public pool, drink from the same water fountain or use the same restroom as white people. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was still nearly four years away on Aug 4, 1961.
Between the day that Barack Obama was born and 1968, at least 28 people were killed as they actively worked for the rights of black people to live in an integrated society, vote, and eventually run for public office. Their names are:
Louis Allen, Willie Brewster, Benjamin Brown, James Chaney, Vernon Dahmer, Jonathan Daniels, Henry H. Dee, Cpl. Roman Ducksworth Jr., Medgar Evers, Andrew Goodman, Samuel Hammond Jr, Jimmie Lee Jackson, Wharlest Jackson, Martin Luther King Jr, Rev. Bruce Klunder, Herbert Lee, Viola Gregg Liuzzo, Delano H. Middleton, Charles E. Moore, Oneal Moore, William Moore, Rev. James Reeb, Michael Schwener, Henry E. Smith, Clarence Triggs, Virgil Ware, Ben Chester White, Samuel Younge Jr.
These men and women did not die in vain.
They died because somewhere in their souls they knew that someday in America, there would be a night like this night, a night like June 3, 2008:
[T]onight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another—a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.
This is not to say that Barack Obama is some kind of Messiah, or even that he will win in November -- he now has five months and a fair opportunity to try to do what 43 other men before him have done, to prove that he has the leadership skills to become the president of the United States. This is just to say how remarkable it is that a man who wasn't even guaranteed the right to vote when he was born is now the Democratic nominee for the White House -- and to say thank you to the people who fought and who even gave their lives to make this moment happen.
Comments (61)
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Congratulations to Barack Obama for his great achievement. Whether or not he becomes President, he reached a milestone tonight. The fact that he beat the "inevitable candidate" Hillary Clinton in the way he did it --- devising better campaign strategy, raising more funds and effectively running a political organization, is truly remarkable.— yobill626
When Bush was born, imbeciles were still denied the right to vote too.- not to mention the thousands who were lynched in the Jim Crow days because they dared to exercise their rights... America's forgotten terrorism...from home-grown terrorists masquerading as the law...— ucsbclassics53
- We will know we have matured as a nation when we no longer preface a president's name with the words "black" or "woman."— Magistra
- Don't you just love the mature writers like shineboy and hater? Makes me proud to be an American.— mike l
- I really thought that this was going to be a picture of a woman in the middle east showing a little skin or something like that, but what a disappointment once I opened the link. Not that voting isn't good, I am all for it...except when Iraqis get a chance to vote, then I am against it.— PeterMyers
I guess were that much closer to Obama becoming President and absolving us of all our sins.— jmc- Comment removed.
More white guilt in here than I can handle...Maybe Will can go to work as a shineman so he can feel better about himself.- Ladies & Gentlemen,I present the Democrats next great hope,"The Magic Mulatto",coming soon to a town near you.He'll fix it (even if it ain't broke )he'll change it (even if it doesn't need to be changed)he'll...well you get the idea.— Yankee Air Pirate 12
- So white guilt's the new code word for acknowledging history?— RG
- Who said it? "No matter who wins this election, the direction of this country is going to change dramatically. But the choice is between the right change and the wrong change, between going forward and going backward" Why its John McCain, another Repub trying to grab the change mantle (along with the House Repubs, whose "Change You Deserve" slogan was lifted from an anti depressant med. Here's more: McCain called for "widespread and innovative reforms" in health care, energy, the environment, taxes, public education, transportation, disaster relief, regulation, diplomacy and military and intelligence services. Gee, YAP, I guess it is broke, isn't it?— RG
- I see that not even 24 hours have passed and the closet racists are starting to come out of the woodwork. It may be subtle, but some of the comments above are racist and will get worse in the next 5 months. Isn't it time we get beyond this.— vlwall
- Great point, b.atk. People who lived int he 60's during the time of Jim Crow and segregation are all long since dead.— RG
- The media knew Obama McCain would create a firestorm. That's why they were pushing Obama over Hillary. Obama McCain will bring passion and interested which would generate ratings/pages hits which in turn will rake in $$$.— Leron
- some comments have mysteriously disappeared? i guess certain people do not get their voices heard. wow. pretty hypocritical.— shoeshineboy
- My Email this morning from the religion of peace //////// you raging racist monsters, Allah will crush you and we will take over you kafars and run our kalifa soon. you Americans are bunch of hateful idiots who are too fat to do any thing to our great kalifa. please shut up and watch while we come and make the Great Satanic land, an Islamic paradise. Allah is on our side. Alah o akbar, Allah o akbar, enshalah we will make this world a better place.— takisha
- Ooops,I left out Hope.One.Takisha,I believe it's inshallah though I could be wrong,I'm not a Muslim,not even a faux Muslim.— Yankee Air Pirate 12
- Does Obama's APPARENT!!?? delegate victory mean that we no longer have to be concerned about paying reparations?— bigz
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- Philly.com comments are intended to be civil, friendly conversations. Please treat other participants with respect and in a way that you would want to be treated. You are responsible for what you say. And please, stay on topic. I think there is "selective enforcement" of this policy. Actually, its almost "racial profiling".— shoeshineboy
- there are some comments here from people who really should not have the right to vote. If they can't stick to the issues andrefrain from racist statements and innuendo, they really would be happier in West Virginia with the Cheney clan planning a wedding for all their brothers to their sisters.— excaliber
- "there are some comments here from people who really should not have the right to vote." In America even racists should have the right to vote. There are those who would say that a person like you, who would deny someone the right to vote because he doesn't share your values, should not be allowed to vote either. I say that you'd both be wrong.— legatus
- What? we have to acknowledge slavery? again?! didn't we fight a war over that 140 years ago? what, we have to acknowledge Jim Crow when it hasn't been on the books for 40 years? sure, let's talk about history--because that's what it is now, history--not something white people should be punished over or have to repeatedly apologize for...
- Shemp, onl you are bringing up slavery on this post. As for Jim Crow, etc., 40 years ago wasn't all that long ago. If you truly think so, then McCains war record should be considered ancient history. And, please, enlighten us with any punishment you've suffered.— RG
- What is wrong with you RG? Do you still think it is important to "acknowledge slavery?" Anyone who isn't crazed with guilt stopped "acknowledging" slavery years ago. I stopped acknowledging slavery, myself, in 1997.— Talking point sleuth
- More will die— Quonnie
- I THINK IT IS GREAT. AMERICA CAN PROVE TO THE WORLD THAT THEY ARE NOT RACIST.— jtw
- My parents did not march in the Civil Rights protests, but through our family discussions at dinner, they brought them into our then West Virginia home and gave them significance. I do the same for my children. Thank you for sharing these historic headlines with all of us. We need not be afraid of looking back at our past. I know that part of our history invokes feelings that we are not comfortable with--guilt, shame, anger, or for those who hide from their real feelings...defensiveness. But we can also be exceedingly proud of what we've accomplished. I can see by the posts that there is still more to do but we can all be a part of a positive change. Remember that we are Americans first, then and only then, are we Caucasian, African-American, Asian, Native American, Republicans, Democrats, Independents.— joyfultoo
- "People Died So Tonight Could Happen." I thought that headline was in reference to a 5 year prisoner of war (John McCain) being the Republican nominee. Guess I was wrong.— chrissmith
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- "People died so tonight could happen." A pseudo-motto of the left; I can easily imagine a youthful Bolshevik, all a-flush with excitement, blood-lust and the type of naive idealism one finds only in leftists, standing in the rubble of the Imperial Palace in St. Petersburg in Russia on the evening of 7 November 1917 and uttering that line.— George Tomezsko
- It's interesting that the racists call it "white guilt", when no one is advocating that whites feel guilty of anything, but that everyone remember the past lest it ever be repeated. To call it "white guilt" is merely an attempt to trivialize it as having no substance or relevance - which is understandable for a racist.
- I think this is a great post, will. Particularly since the same people who would have us believe our Jim Crow past is ancient history would also like us to believe that Barack Obama is too young to become president.— Jess Wundrun
- You guys on the left amaze me. On the one hand, you'll go on and on with your phony sentimentality about a subject like minority struggles in this country. But then on the other hand you're notorious for contributing little or nothing to those same underprivileged groups. I'm tired of seeing the same people posting out here (right and left) and accomplishing NOTHING! If you're going to talk the talk, then walk the walk.— A Friend
- Yes, let's quote Jim Crow when people decide to vote for the white candidate...then the liberal hamheads can drum up the ''america is still racist''...america can't get past black and white headlines if Obama loses---and then the rest of the posters can say--racism is alive and well in america because barack lost---Hey LJL--nice cut and paste job --but how does citing poor black statistics prove racism in america? did you forget to cut and paste the statistics of poor white people too? or did you forget mr. wrights comments about the us of KKK? seems to me that racism is a two way street practiced by both white and black people...condemned when whites do it...justified when blacks do it...seems like you need to check the mirror, fool.
- RG---How about affirmative action? I think a lot of people suffered when underqualified black people were given jobs because of the color of their skin...or is that ok because it ''evened'' the playing field?
- You are absolutely right. Men (and women) died, paid the ultimate sacrifice so that the night of June 3, 2008 could happen. It was not done in a battlefield per se. Ordinary places like buses, restaurants, rest rooms, drinking fountains were where the battles were waged. The right to be a "full member" of our society was hard won, and one has to wonder if we're there yet. If Barack wins, then we've made it to Dr. King's promised land. If not...well I'm not even going there, because Barack is going to win. When are we going to become truly "color blind", so that it is the person, not the color of his/her skin that we see? Soon, perhaps Nov 4, 2008 will be the culmination of Dr. King's dream. Let us pray....— Debbie Lackowitz
- George T.-Love the analogy,gonna rip you off somewhere down the line.— Yankee Air Pirate 12
- Whose to say they weren't qualified? Can you say, with 100% certainty, that all minorities hired under affirmative action, were unqualified? As for AA, it works when it gives minorities an equal opportunity when applying for a job. Actively recruiting minorities is hardly a bad thing. However, quotas or preferential treatment does more harm than good, imo.— RG
Debbie Lack-of-wits please feel free to lead the way on becoming color blind - once Obama wins we are color blind? Great, doesn't matter if he is the better candidate just as long as we elect Obama then Dr. King's dream will be realized - and of course if you think McCain, a man who has served this country and has experience in working with both sides of the aisle, should be President you are of course a racist. I just "hope, hope, hope" (that's what I'm voting for right - hope things work out and I guess trust that someday Obama will have a real plan) that all the Obama supporters will realize they are nothing more that sexist pigs who voted against a woman candidate.— bird11- RG can you say, with 100% certainty, that everyone hired under affirmative action/minority quotas, etc were the most qualified? Forgive me for believing that the best qualified person should get the job - especially when it is my tax dollars paying that person. Of course that is why so many people support Obama - because they are more concerned with Affirmative Action hires then electing the best candidate.— bird11
- Birdman, you are reiterating my point. The best person SHOULD get the job, reagrdless of race. As for the presidency, what makes you so sure that McCain is the best person for the job? Was it bomb-bomb Iran? Keating 5? His various flip flops on major issues? The nebulous (and totally unproven)idea of experience?— RG
- George, instead of looking at the Bolsheviks, you can look in your own backyard. Every day you wake up in America, you can justifiably say "People died so today could happen."— Captain Awesome
- I think George is Arn 2.0 THey are both obsessed with Socialists and Bolsheviks.— SteveMG
- RG any type of quota almost guarantees the best person won't get the job - the idea of quotas is based upon choosing a candidate from a lesser pool of talent. If a quota exist and the most qualified candidate gets the job (including those not considered) than the quota was not necessary was it? Your post seems to be a flip flop - AA doesn't give minorities an "equal opportunity" it gives them an unequal opportunity because it eliminates the potential for others to compete - think the NFL has any plans on instituting an Affirmative Action program for white RB's? Why will I vote for McCain? Simple. At a time when we are at war, and at a time when torture is such an issue, I want a man in charge who has experience in war. Obama may know how to smile and play nice with different cultures but McCain knows how to be tough, notice I didn't say act tough, and at the same time has shown the strength, understanding, and compassion to return to where he was tortured and engage in meaningful dialogue. Also as much as the left wants to make McCain's campaign Bush's 3rd term, few if any in the Republican Party have openly disagreed with Bush and worked with the other side of the aisle - remember how villified McCain was for his vote on fillbusters. Besides any conservative candidate who is hated by Rush Limbaugh soots me just fine.— bird11
- bridman, Reread my original post on the subject. I am agaisnt quotas. I agree with AA when it simply opens the doors to all candidates, and when it prods companies, etc to actively recruit minorities. However, the best candidate should always get the job (but doesn't always, even in non-AA instances). As for McCain, fair enough. However, in my eyes, he voted for this mistake of a war, so his experience is instantly negated. I doubt he has any plans to open dialogue with insurgents or even Iran. AQ has basically been vanquished from Iraq, but may be regrouping in Afghan/Pakistan. The only reason I can jusitfy staying in Iraq is to help the Iraqi people get their lives back, but from what i've read they don't want us there.— RG
- "Forgive me for believing that the best qualified person should get the job - especially when it is my tax dollars paying that person." . . . . . . . You're forgiven, bird11. Unfortunately, that principle wasn't applicable to blacks until civil rights laws were passed in the 60s. Before that, can you imagine how many blacks were passed up for jobs or for school admissions by less qualified whites, simply because of their skin color? Now you might say that has no relevance today, because blacks now have equal rights under the law. However, you'd be foolish to think that your own life isn't influenced in some small way by the opportunities and advantages your ancestors enjoyed because blacks were treated as second class. This doesn't mean you should have any personal libaility for the sins of your fathers, or that even they should be held responsible for a society they didn't personally create. But you should at least acknowledge that if "justice" means anything, then society as a whole owes a debt to those who have suffered by its past crimes.
- RG people are free to disagree in this country - thank God and millions of men and women who have fought for me to say that. I am still not sold that this war is a mistake - and I am ready for the rathe on that comment. Maybe I grew up with too many Spiderman comics but "with great power comes great responsibility." It's easy to say that the oppression of woman and the slaughter of minority relgious groups are just a "cultural difference" but who then will protect the oppressed. Getting back to the point of Bunch's article - weren't slavery and Jim Crow laws just our "cultural difference" (not that slavery isn't found in every culture). Leaving Iraq now only subjects some group to the slaughter the Kurds experienced when we made the mistake of leaving the first time. Does Obama have a son? Maybe we can pull out now and leave the problem for his son when he is President.— bird11
- White guilt is very real. There is such a thing as "benevolent racism." That is, it's racism where you try to be "extra nice" to someone simply do to their skin color. So whites go out and tell everyone they support Obama. It makes them feel better about themselves. They can pat themselves on the back and feel like their not racists. That's white guilt.— chrissmith
- montani - my family came to the U.S. in the late 1800's after slavery ended in the U.S. from Counties Mayo and Derry in Ireland. Even though slavery was ended indenture servitude still existed for Irish immigrants - most people don't realize that the bulk of the Irish who came to American came in a revolving door of indentured servitude, the less fortunate got to make the trip in coffin ships. Please point me to the line which gives me preference because of the "Irish need not apply" signs in the U.S. or do I need to wait for my reparations from England? Of wait maybe there is a third option, I could be aware of my ancestors history and struggles - love them for overcoming the obstacles - and take responsibility for myself today and into the future. And if I am ever blessed with a child maybe I'll bust my butt to give them everything I can but I'll never wait for the government to do it for me because I control my life - thanks once again to the sacrifices of the men and women who served our country.— bird11
- Montani for some reason my post did not take so here it is in short hand 1)Irish decent family from Mayo & Derry Counties 2) indentured servitude 3) Irish need not apply 4) any programs of AA for Irish immigrants? 5) how about reparations from England 6) Gov't help - NO THANKS.7) Take responsibility for self, love and respect ancestors, provide for children. I'll add a Titus quote “Why don't you climb down off the cross, take the wood to build a bridge, and get over it!”— bird11
- The only way that Obama can win in November would be to say:"My candidacy proves that racism is dying in America.Therefore,on the first day of my administration,all federal affirmative action will be disbanded".— bigeastbeast
- bird11, Imy problem is how we selectively wield that power. I don't see it as always being responsible. We've did very little to help the suffering or oppression in Darfur, the Congo, Myanmar, etc. And we've also propped up tyrants when it suited us, the Shah in Iran, Saddam when he served a purpose to us, the Saudi royal family, etc.— RG
- I never cease to be amazed by the utter ignorance of some of the posts here. "Racism is dying", "Get over it", "Slavery and Jim Crow laws were our cultural differences". UNBELIEVABLE! It's funny that I NEVER hear anyone tell a Jewish person that they should "get over" The Holocaust even though many more blacks were killed and affected by slavery and Jim Crow laws. Is racism better in America then it was 40 years ago? Absolutely. But to say that it is dying just talk to Ed Rendell when he correctly stated that there are a great number of people who will not vote for a black man simply because he is black. Go down to West Virginia and talk to the people who stated that if Obama won the nomination they would vote republican for the first time in their lives because they would not vote for a black man. As far as you saying that slavery and Jim Crow was simply "cultural differences", that might be the most ignorant crap I have read on here and that is saying something!— Damgoodbodies
- RG - agree 100%. IMHO we need to yield that power more often and hope for a domino effect that causes change in countries before U.S. troops are put in harms way.— bird11
- bird11, I understand the discrimination of the Irish, but please don't even try to compare it to that of blacks. My grandfather was an Irish immigrant, but because he was white he could still find good work to apply his raw intellectual talents and became a respected captain of a Delaware R. dredge for the Army Corps of Engineers. He did get screwed by his Waspy superiors from getting any credit for ingenious methods he devised for his dredging operation, making his the most productive in the country, but yet he was never denied a seat at a lunch counter because of his ethnicity. I loved the old man, but he also was a racist who refused to have blacks working in his crew.
- Birdie. Is it your contention that other than with Afirmative Action programs, only the most qualified get promoted in the workplace or admitted to educational institutions? Legacy programs are commonplace at academic institutions. Political and social influence, which frequently put African Americans at a disadvantage to people from other groups, are commonplace in all sorts of work environments. Affirmative action is not without drawbacks, and modifications to strict race-based affirmative actions programs are in order, but there are significant benefits from diversifying out schools and our workplaces - benefits to all of us, and not only the recipients of assistance. Cry me a river about all those poor, suffering white people who have been deprived of opportunities to get ahead. Please.— Talking point sleuth
- "standing in the rubble of the Imperial Palace in St. Petersburg in Russia on the evening of 7 November 1917" --- Cute, but completely inaccurate. First, what "Imperial Palace" in St. Petersburg? There are many palaces in the city. Second, what rubble? The "October" revolution in St. Petersburg was largely non-violent (of course, the civil war that came later was not). The Winter Palace, which was taken over by the Bolsheviks, was not destroyed. It was converted to a museum and is now known as The Hermitage.— Politburo
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