Melvin B. Miller
Editor & Publisher

Obama: A symbol of change

A new era has dawned in America. The nation’s attitudes about race have significantly changed. Now, with the end of 2007 fast approaching, is a good time for African Americans to re-evaluate strategies for racial progress.

Those stuck in the thinking of the civil rights era insist on pursuing the policies of those times until the last vestiges of racial discrimination have been erased. They seem willing to commit the full resources of black opposition to that effort. A mistaken understanding of the status of blacks in America has made that approach seem wise.

However, the present attitude toward blacks is far less hostile than it was in decades past. Those who oppose this view point to the racial abuse that still exists to support their position. The memory of decades of discrimination often induces many blacks to conclude that little has changed. It would take a major event to erase the emotional impact of this history.

Such an event has occurred, but its full effect has not yet fully impregnated the psyche of blacks. The general response to the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama has established that racial discrimination in America has certainly ameliorated. Whether Obama wins or loses is not the issue. When thousands of whites turn out for his campaign appearances and stand in the rain, it is clear that many people consider Obama a serious contender for the Oval Office. Earlier campaigns of black presidential candidates made a political statement, but Obama’s campaign is seriously directed toward victory in 2008.

Now, an African American has an unprecedented opportunity for the one position that has greater status than any other: President of the United States of America. Also, a number of blacks hold coveted top executive positions in Fortune 500 companies. Clearly, discrimination in employment is not chronically debilitating.

All these opportunities share a common prerequisite: exceptional skills and talents honed in institutions of higher learning. The strategy for future African American progress must be to motivate the young to pursue academic achievement. Anything that detracts from that objective should be carefully scrutinized.

One disadvantage of the full fledged, civil rights era style campaigns against racial discrimination is that they perforce create the impression once again that blacks are victims. That is certainly not the mindset for youngsters to have as they strive to succeed in school. This is especially true if the assertion of the activists is that the schools are substandard.

With racial hostility declining in America, the black leadership seems not to have answered the question, “Has racial discrimination declined enough so that African Americans are able to succeed in education and employment?” An even more significant question is, “What strategies should be employed to eliminate the vestiges of discrimination without creating the impression that blacks are perpetual victims?”

One fact is clear. The road ahead will require substantial self-effort more than opposition to discrimination. Unfortunately, there are too many who have built their careers on the strategies of the civil rights movement. The end of the year assessment of progress is a good time to evaluate a more relevant strategy for future advancement.

“It’s a new era.”