The Black Presidency
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11. As Liam Viney argues: “Obama sings a bit flat. Naturally, as a singer without formal training, who has had certain other things to attend to in recent years, he may have just not had the best singing technique. Intonation insecurity and dubiously executed melismata were balanced by an undeniable connection to African American musical culture. That flatness was very likely Obama channeling the blues.” Liam Viney, “Obama’s Amazing Grace Shows How Music Can Lift Oratory High,” The Conversation, June 30, 2015, http://theconversation.com/obamas-amazing-grace-shows-how-music-can-lift-oratory-high-44076.
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12. See Albert Raboteau’s fine essay “The Chanted Sermon” in his book A Fire in the Bones: Reflections on African American History (Boston: Beacon Press, 1995), pp. 141–151.
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★ | ★
Index
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
Abernathy, Ralph, 3
Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”), 134, 158, 160, 255
Africa
colonialism/neocolonialism, 145, 146, 148–49
corruption/leaders and, 145–46, 147
Obama’s trips, 146–49, 150, 250
South Africa apartheid, 147
AIDS/HIV, 22, 86, 92–93, 147
Alexander, Michelle, 249
Alim, H. Samy, 77
Allen, Richard, 241
Alter, Jonathan, 29
“Amazing Grace” singing/Pinckney eulogy, 270–71, 332–33 n10
anger and politics
black anger, 103–04, 106, 109–10, 111
civil rights era vs. today, 100, 103
overview, 103–06
white anger, 105–07, 108–09, 111
Armey, Dick, 139
Atwater, Lee, 127
Audacity of Hope, The (Obama), 53–54, 157
Azinger, Paul, 239
B
Bachmann, Michele, 140
Baldwin, James, x–xi, 43, 124, 301–02 n35
Baltimore irruptions/Gray’s death, 194, 210
basketball and Obama, 226, 329 n1
Beatty, Warren
Bulworth (film) and, 219, 220, 222, 223
interview with Dyson, 222, 223–24
Becton, Dajerria and friends, 206, 212–13
Belichick, Bill, 230
Bell, Derrick, 49
Bell, Sean murder/reactions, 63
Benghazi crisis, 137
Berry, Halle, 43, 44, 223
Biden, Joe, 76–77, 226
biker gangs’ killings/arrests, Texas, 211, 213
bin Laden, Osama/killing, 144–45
“biracial” people, 42, 44–45
Bird, Larry, 239
birthers, 78–79, 135–36, 138, 140–41, 250, 251
Black Agenda Report, 25–26
black Americans
black boys’ issues (summary), 22
black immigrants vs., 37–39, 298–99 n10
black women/girls’ issues (summary), 22–25
Obama as symbol, 68, 95, 131–32, 150, 237
patriotism/criticism of America and, 120, 121–25, 126, 151
See also specific individuals; specific organizations
black churches
destruction/murder and, 239, 240
importance of, 83–84, 88, 239–40, 242
kindness to strangers and, 242–43
See also Emanuel AME Church history
black culture
black church importance and, 83–84, 88, 239–40, 242
Obama/Apollo Theater and, 69–70
Obama/Democratic National Convention (2004), 74
pastors on society’s ills, 88
See also specific components; specific events; specific individuals
black families/fathers
Boston College study on, 170
gun violence and, 171–72
Harris-Perry on, 171–72
King on, 169–70
Moynihan report (1965) and, 169–70
Obama on, 61, 63, 133, 136, 169, 170–71
black immigrants in U.S.
black Americans vs., 37–39, 298–99 n10
white immigrants vs., 151–52
black leaders/civil rights era
Obama and, 54, 55, 56–59, 60–64, 174–77
other social change movements and, 232
women/young people and, 54
younger generation leaders and, 55
black leaders/political elders
black groups criticizing Obama, 17
criticism of Obama and, 16–32
See also specific individuals
“Black Lives Matter” movement, 7, 204, 214, 218, 251
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, 268
Booker, Cory, 55
“Bradley effect”/Bradley, Tom, 47
Brady, James S., 243
Bratton, Bill, 197
Braun, Carol Moseley, 55
Brewer, Jan, 136
Brown, Michael killing
Obama on, 8, 14, 193, 194, 195–96, 198–99, 201, 253
police in Ferguson, Missouri, 8, 14, 41, 192, 193, 195, 206
police views of Brown, 192, 193
theft before, 206
Brown, Morris, 241
Bulworth (film)
description/hip hop and rap, 220–21, 222–23, 224–25
Obama and, 219, 220, 221
See also Beatty, Warren
Bundy, Cliven, 213
“burden of representation, the,” x
Bush, George W., 124, 135, 141–42, 147, 165
C
cabinet members, Obama administration, 17–18, 20
Carey, Mariah, 44
Carter, Jimmy, 180
Casebolt, Eric, 212–13
Center Holds, The (Alter), 29
Charleston, South Carolina church murders. See Emanuel AME Church mass murders
Chavez, Cesar, 75
Cheney, Dick, 124
Civil Rights Act (1964), 82, 164
Cleaver, Emanuel, 16–17, 19
climate change, 227
Clinton, Bill
black community/black issues and, xv, 4, 28, 32, 34, 56, 58, 165, 180, 285–86 n13
crime bill (1994) and effects, xv, 28, 233, 285–86 n13
description/traits, 70–71, 114–15, 124, 134, 135
as “first black president,” xv, 283–84 n11
Obama and, 58, 283–84 n11
welfare reform/effects, xv, 28, 285–86 n13
Clinton, Hillary
black community and, 56, 57, 58, 244–46
campaign for presidency (2007/2008), 4, 19–20, 21–22, 33–34, 40, 56, 58, 75, 106, 115, 130
Obama administration, 134
Coates, Ta-Nehisi, 29–30, 32, 180
Cobb, Jelani, 29, 30–32, 191
Cohen, Richard on race, 229–30
Coley, Rebekah Levine, 170
Columbine shooters, 172
Confederate flag/images, 246, 256, 257–58, 262, 263, 266–67, 329–30 n2
Congressional Black Caucus and Obama, xiv, 17–19, 39, 173–77
conspiracy theorists, 70, 78–79
Conyers, John, 174
Cooper, Brittney, 22–24, 25
Cornyn, John, 137
Cosby, Bill
allegations against, 157, 199–200, 249–50, 328 n21
background/scolding blacks, 157, 199, 200, 328 n21
Crawford, Kenneth, 122–23
Crenshaw, Kimberlé Williams, 24–25, 214
crime bill (1994) and effects, xv, 28, 233, 285–86 n13
Crouch, Stanley, 36–37, 38
Crowley, James, 190, 191
Cullors, Patrisse, 214
Cundieff, Rusty, 221
Cunningham, Bill, 127–28
D
Davis, Angela, 26
Davis, Artur, 55
Davis, Jordan murder, 237–38, 239
de Blasio, Bill, and family, 43�
��44
Dickerson, Debra, 36–38
Disraeli, Benjamin, xiv–xv, 283 n7
Dixon, Bruce, 26
Douglass, Frederick, 93, 122, 242
Dreams from My Father (Obama), 43, 45, 46, 86, 136
D’Souza, Dinesh, 135
Du Bois, W.E.B., 46, 91, 126, 152
Dukakis, Michael, 127
Dunn, Michael, 237–38, 239
Durbin, Dick, 74
Dyson, Marcia, 290 n25
Dyson, Michael Eric
brother Everett and, 198
Detroit cops incident, 197
Giuliani/police and blacks, 197–98
meeting with Bratton, 197
Dyson, Michael Eric, and Obama
campaign/New Orleans (2007), 33–34
Obama interview, xvi, 154–55, 159–62, 253, 254
White House meeting, 29
Winfrey’s fund-raiser, 118–19
E
economy
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 138, 159
racial inequalities, 21, 23, 102, 108, 110–11, 155, 159, 166, 167, 317–19 n15
“rising tide” philosophy, 159
unemployment statistics, 21, 158–59, 165–66, 317–19 n15
Edelman, Marian Wright, 252
Emanuel AME Church history, 240–41
Emanuel AME Church mass murders
black forgiveness and, 258, 262, 268
description, 155, 220, 237, 239, 241
Hillary Clinton on, 244–46
Obama on, 243–44
Obama’s eulogy and, 255–71
Evers, Medgar, 181
F
Faces at the Bottom of the Well (Bell), 49
Fair Housing Act, 166–67
Favreau, Jon, 75
Fenty, Adrian, 55
Ferguson, Missouri
Holder and, 200–201
irruption following Wilson verdict, 194–95, 253
racism/injustice and, 8, 30, 192, 193–94
See also Brown, Michael killing; Wilson, Darren
Ferraro, Geraldine, 90–91, 105–06
films overview, 220–21
Ford, Glen, 25–26
Foxx, Anthony, 18
Fudge, Marcia, 17–18, 19
G
Garner, Eric killing, 41, 203, 206, 207
Garza, Alicia, 214
Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. arrest
description/racial bias, 13, 76, 155, 188, 189–91
Obama on, 13, 76, 188–91
Giffords, Gabby, 172
Gingrich, Newt, 135, 289 n18
Giuliani, Rudy, 47–48, 197–98, 199
Goldberg, Bernard, 187
grace and Obama’s eulogy for Pinckney, 260, 262–63, 265–66, 267–71
Graham, Lindsey, 246, 257–58
Gray, Freddie
death/police officers, 210
funeral/eulogy, 210, 211–12
grazing fees dispute, Nevada, 213
Green, Al, Reverend, 69, 70, 303 n1
Guinier, Lani, 58, 115
gun violence
Harris-Perry on, 172
Obama and, 243–44
See also specific events; specific incidents; specific individuals
Gutiérrez, Jennicet, 225
H
Hagel, Chuck, 134
Haley, Nikki, 246, 257–58, 266, 329–30 n2
Harkin, Tom, 128
Harris, Fredrick, 21–22, 25, 26
hip hop
images/film and, 220–21, 223, 225
Obama and, 70, 73–74, 220, 221
Hodge, Roger, 27
Holder, Eric
America’s “racial cowardice” and, 52, 228–29
background, 167, 231, 232
Clinton’s 1994 crime bill and, 233
criticism of/attacks on, 136, 137, 227–28, 229
defense of Obama, 233–37
Ferguson, Missouri and, 200–201
on race, 52, 220, 227–37
Voting Rights Act and, 233
Hoover, J. Edgar, 123
Horton, Willie, 127
Huerta, Dolores, 75
Hughes, Langston, 122, 131
Hurricane Katrina, 34, 39–40, 250
Hurricane Sandy, 201
I
India Arie, 70
J
Jackson, Jesse
background/activism, xv, 2–3, 4, 7, 34, 54, 56–57, 59–60, 91, 170, 259
Gray’s eulogy and, 211–12
Obama and, xiv, 3, 4, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61–63, 79
Santita (daughter), 60
Jackson, Jesse, Jr.
Obama defense, 60–62
Obama’s Senate term/legal problems, 62
Jackson, Jimmie Lee, 209
Jackson, Maynard, 177
James, LeBron, 239
Japanese Americans in concentration camps, 83, 120, 306 n20
Jarrett, Valerie, 154
Jay Z, 74, 221
Jefferson, Thomas, x–xi
Jena Six, 61
Johnson, Jack, xv, 16
Johnson, Kevin, 20–21, 25
Johnson, Lyndon B., 124, 134, 166–67, 176
Johnson, Sylvia, 241
Joyner, Tom, 29
K
Kennedy, John F., xiv–xv, 27, 70–71, 134
Kerner Commission report/calls for new commission, 182, 252–53
Key & Peele (Comedy Central show), 226
Key, Keegan-Michael, 226–27
Keys, Alicia, 44
Kimmel, Jimmy, 69
King, Gayle, 197
King, Martin Luther, Jr., Reverend
background/activism, 3–4, 27, 52, 57, 81–83, 107–08, 114, 150, 169–70, 175, 181, 183, 201, 209, 211, 246, 256–57, 286 n3, 306 n20
children, 85
“I Have a Dream” speech, 75, 89–90, 175
“I See the Promised Land” speech, 175
murder/legacy, 2–3, 52, 64, 81, 95, 132, 166, 183
Obama and, 15, 64, 81–82, 84, 85–86, 175
shifting views on race relations, 71, 82, 84
Vietnam War opposition/consequences, 82–83, 104, 122–23
King, Rodney, 206, 207, 240
Koch, David, 139
L
Lafayette, Bernard, 7
language/rhetorical skills of Obama
anaphora, 75
black speech/pastors and, 71–72, 74–76, 77–78, 79–80, 81, 85–86
description, 70–71, 76, 79–80
epistrophe, 75–76
King and, 71, 75, 89
signifying, 70, 72–73, 77, 79–80
speech (March 2008) and, 89–91
See also speeches/statements by Obama
Lee, Spike, 72–73
Lewis, John, 20, 56, 85, 174, 175–76, 180, 246
LGBTQ issues/same-sex marriage, 23, 24, 163, 225, 250, 255, 267
Limbaugh, Rush, 139, 239
Lincoln, Abraham, 130, 134, 157, 167
Lost Voices Group, 7
M
McCain, John, 127–28, 130, 137
McCarthy, Joseph, 123
McCrary, Crystal, 197
McCray, Chirlane, 43–44
McCulloch, Robert, 192
McGuire, Ray, 197
McKenzie, Vashti, 259
Macmillan, Harold, 150
McWhorter, Diane, 27, 292–9 n344
malaria, 147
Malcolm X, 45, 72–73, 91, 92, 104
Malone, Vivian, and Sharon, 231
Maron, Marc, 247
Martin, Trayvon
Obama on killing/Zimmerman verdict, 9–10, 11–12, 186–87, 193, 236
shooting by Zimmerman, 9, 22, 28, 74, 186, 229, 239
Meier, August, 4
Millennium Challenge Account, 147
Moore, Michael, 27
Morehouse College, 13, 21, 133, 177–79
Morrison, Toni, xv, 79, 151, 283–84 n11
Mosby, Marilyn, 210
Moyers, Bill/PBS television show, 111
Moynihan, Da
niel Patrick/report on black families, 169–70, 214
Muhammad, Elijah, 92, 104
Munro, Neil, 136
murders, blacks killing blacks/whites killing whites statistics, 198, 230–31
murders of parishioners. See Emanuel AME Church mass murders
“My Brother’s Keeper” initiative, 12, 22, 23, 25, 198, 202
N
Nas, 74
neoliberalism, 148
New Yorker (magazine), 45, 73, 304–05 n8
Newtown, Connecticut, mass murders, 172, 244
Nixon, Richard, 133–34
Nkrumah, Kwame, 149
O
Obama, Barack
accomplishments summary (2015), 250, 255, 329 n1
background/personality, 46, 130–31