1990 article about Obama

[Recursion]

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DC1631F935A35751C0A966958260

The Harvard Law Review, generally considered the most prestigious in the country, elected the first black president in its 104-year history today. The job is considered the highest student position at Harvard Law School.

The new president of the Review is Barack Obama, a 28-year-old graduate of Columbia University who spent four years heading a community development program for poor blacks on Chicago's South Side before enrolling in law school. His late father, Barack Obama, was a finance minister in Kenya and his mother, Ann Dunham, is an American anthropologist now doing fieldwork in Indonesia. Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii.

...

''But it's important that stories like mine aren't used to say that everything is O.K. for blacks. You have to remember that for every one of me, there are hundreds or thousands of black students with at least equal talent who don't get a chance,'' he said, alluding to poverty or growing up in a drug environment.

...

Professors and students at the law school reacted cautiously to Mr. Obama's selection. ''For better or for worse, people will view it as historically significant,'' said Prof. Randall Kennedy, who teaches contracts and race relations law. ''But I hope it won't overwhelm this individual student's achievement.''

Just found that interesting.

[Indenturedebtor]

1. Yes thank you for sharing

:D

[DaveJ]

2. Things certainly have changed a lot since then...

First of all, one hardly sees the phrase "program for poor blacks" in respectable newspapers anymore.

More importantly, while not perfect, there is no lack of hope in Chicago. There are plenty of programs for financially poor students to stay off the streets and get quality education. In fact, I think that inner city kids today have more opportunity than I had growing up in a middle class family, and that's a good thing.

[soleft]

3. So he's already been the first black president

And the say he's not experienced

:shrug: