Breaking the Color Line

AS Barack Obama was making his acceptance speech last night as President- Elect of the United States. He was doing what Jackie Robinson had done some 60 years earlier. Becoming the first African American in a position that had up to that point always been held by white males. I know, you are probably thinking hold on how can you compare a baseball player to the job of President of the mighty United States? It may be not as much of a stretch as you think. First, both institutions were Lilly white ,both were held in high esteem by the public and helped to define us as a nation. Also both baseball and the presidency are uniquely American. Obama is similar to Robinson in the fact that he may have not been the greatest orator or leader in the African American Community as Robinson was not the greatest player in the Negro Leagues but both of them were the right men for the job and the time. Like Robinson, Obama owes his opportunity to many who sacrificed at great personal and collective loss to set the stage for his victory. For Robinson it was great Negro Le augers like Rube Foster, Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson and Satchell Paige all arguably better players than Robinson but did not have the will, calmness and soberness of task to take on all the attacks that would come from being the first. For Obama it was leaders like Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey , A Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Jesse Jackson and Shirley Chisolm who made it possible for him to become the first. Like Robinson, Obama has the personality and popularity that can transcend race Robinson prevailed but not without personal sacrifice but he made it easier for those who followed let's hope that Obama can do the same.