Barack Obama, the first African-American president, didn’t usher in post-racial America. That was always a long shot. What was truly disappointing and disillusioning was that at a time of evolving demographics and multiple generations removed from Jim Crow, the ultimate act of democratic inclusion didn’t make, seemingly, any positive difference at all. Instead, it became a catalyst for a perfect, polarizing political storm.
Future historians will see a bigger picture, one that will underscore the roles of Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Jackson, Barack Obama, Cory Booker and others. Their vantage point will be of a different America with a “minority” majority and leadership that reflects that reality. But that’s not very consoling right now.