Reprinted by permission of The Journal of Black in Higher Education, Number 66, Winter 2009/2010

A half century ago a very large percentage of African Americans were not permitted to vote. Southern whites used a wide variety of tactics such as the poll tax, literacy tests, and other means to restrict black voting. When all else failed, whites resorted to violence to intimidate blacks and keep them from voting.

Jump ahead to 2008 and an African American, with considerable support from whites, is elected President of the United States.

Over the years many prominent political figures expressed their views on the possibility of electing a black president. Some, even as late as the summer of 2008, did not believe it was possible. On the other hand, some observers had the vision that one day, a black man, or woman, could win the nation’s highest office.

Here we present a compilation of statements people have made over the years on the prospects of electing a black president. First, we list those who incorrectly believed that an African American could not win the presidency. Then we list the statements from those individuals who correctly predicted that a black man could one day become president.

The list was compiled by Robert Fikes, Jr., a historian and reference librarian at San Diego State University.

Marcus Garvey, who advocated that black Americans be returned to Africa, declared in 1923 that “reason dictates that the masses of the white race will never stand by the ascendancy of an opposite minority group to the favored positions in a government, society and industry.”

Hubert H. Harrison, a leader in the New Negro Movement of the 1920s, wrote: “The only way in which a Negro could be elected President of the United States would be by virtue of the voters not knowing that the particular candidate was of Negro ancestry.”

Benjamin Hooks, executive director of the NAACP, said in 1984: “Unfortunately, I’ll be in heaven, looking down” [when an African-American is elected president].

In 2000 Christopher Edley, Jr., dean of the law school at the University of California, stated: “I’m pessimistic. I think we will see a woman or a Latino as president before we see an African American.”

Syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer wrote in October 2006: “He will lose in 2008. He will not win. The reason is September 11. The country simply will not elect a novice in wartime.”

Writing in Newsweek in 2006, African-American author Lawrence Otis Graham stated: “There’s a willingness to be entertained by African Americans, but to be governed by them is a completely different story. White men have socialized and worked under women, but much more rarely under blacks. Whatever they say, when they go into the polling place, they won’t go for it.”

William Kristol, editor of the conservative Weekly Standard, predicted in December 2006, “Barack Obama is not going to beat Hillary Clinton in a single democratic primary.”

Andrew Young, former mayor of Atlanta and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said in 2007: “It is not a matter of being inexperienced. It is a matter of being young. There is a certain matter of maturity. I would like to see Barack’s children get a little older, see, because they’re going to pick on them. I want Barack to be president … in 2016.”

Robert Ford, an African-American state senator from South Carolina, predicted in February 2007 that it would be a disaster if Barack Obama headed the Democratic ticket: “Every Democrat running on that ticket next year would lose because he’s black and he’s top of the ticket. We’d lose the House and the Senate and the governors and everything.”

In his 2008 book, A Bound Man: Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can’t Win, Shelby Steele of Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, wrote: “If Obama were not black, I don’t think we would even know his name. Obama is doomed to fail.”

In March 2008, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pleaded with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson not to support Obama by saying, “He cannot win, Bill. He cannot win.”

Syndicated columnist Charlie Rose said in June 2008, “Barack Obama may have secured the Democratic nomination for President, but I don’t think he will ever see the inside of the White House except as a visitor.”

Tom Hayden, former 1960s radical and former California state senator had no confidence in August 2008 that Obama would be elected less than three months later: “It’s clear to me who is going to win. Obama is losing. He is gonna lose the electoral college.”

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh stated just a week before the election: “I think he’s been dead in the water since the primaries. He’s going to need to be up 10 to 12 points to win by three or four.”

“A Coon’s Gonna Be President”

You know, they called us ‘coons’ – said we

didn’t have no sense.

You gonna wake up one morning, and

a coon’s gonna be President.

Things have changed.

We’re on the move now.

You’re gonna wake up one morning,

And it’ll be ‘coon’ sittiin’ on the moon

– Blues singer Howlin’ Wolf,

from the song, “Coon on the Moon”

1973

Those Who Correctly Foretold the Election of a Black President

In 1958, then U.S. Senator Jacob Javits of New York predicted: “But a speculation based on realistic appraisal of the fact for the march of progress and world events make it quite possible that a member of the Negro race will be appointed to a top cabinet post or elected to the Presidency or Vice Presidency by the year 2000. Undoubtedly, he will be well-qualified. He will be well-traveled and have a keen grasp of his country’s role in the world and its relationships. Assuredly, though, despite his other characteristics he will have developed the fortitude to withstand the vicious smear attacks that came his way as he fought to the top in government and politics.”

In May 1961, Robert Kennedy, then Attorney General of the United States, said, “There’s no question that in the next 30 or 40 years, a Negro can also achieve the same position that my brother has as President of the United States, certainly within that period of time.”

Martin Luther King, Jr., in a 1964 interview with the BBC, said, “I think we may be able to get a Negro President in less than 40 years. I would think that this could come in 25 years or so.”

MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews made the following statement after hearing Barack Obama speak at the 2004 Democratic National Convention: “I have to tell ya – a little chill in my, my legs now. That is an amazing moment in history right there. A keynoter like I’ve never heard. I’ve just seen the first black President there.”

Eric L. Waltree of the Los Angeles Sentinel wrote in 2006: Barack Obama, President of the United States! Sounds good, doesn’t it? It certainly does. But even more impressive than the way it sounds is the fact that for the very first time, it could actually come to pass.”

Astrologer A.P. Rao noted in February 2008 that “during election time Obama is having the antar dasa of Moon, the tenth lord in exaltation from September 24, 2008 to Janaury 17, 2010. Thus, the combination and periods are very favorable for him to get the democratic nomination and win the election.”

“Mebbe the Coons’ll Be Kings”

Psinski: “You black fellers is always afraid.”

Rastus: I dunno, it just comes on

Psinski: “Guess it’s in the blood: I can see your ancestors”

Rastus (trembling): “Where? Where?”

Psinski: A people that ain’t had a fair chance, black –

Rastus: Hush yo’ mouth, some day we git a chance”

Psinski: “Sure you will, the whole future belongs to you.”

Rastus: “A black future: mebbe the coons’ll be kings.”

mebbe yet you see a black President

a’ the United States”

Psinski: “Sure … Sure

Rastus: “A cultured nigger wid a good speakin’ and

Singin’ voice!”

– From the 1925 play, Processional, By John Howard Lawson