What’s Black America’s Grade 100 Days into Obama’s Term?

By: Tonya Pendleton

Barack Obama celebrates his 100th day as President today. He and even his wife, Michelle, have been scrutinized thoroughly to see if they’ve passed muster thus far. The process is familiar to anyone who’s experienced the 90-day probation period that determines whether or not a new employee is going to work out.

President Obama has assuredly passed his probation period with flying colors. But how is black America doing after these first 100 days? Obama’s historic election and emotion-filled inauguration saw the black community united like never before. But given the challenges we face in our daily lives and the recession that has compounded them, have black people been able to hold onto hope? And has the historic nature of Obama’s election inspired the black community to create any real and lasting changes and/or growth?

“There is a quasi-euphoric state still,” says Dr. Howard Dodson, the director of the Schomburg Centure for Research in Black Culture in New York City. “There are still those who have a sense of disbelief about him. What I observe is pride, which people of all ages and political levels have. There’s a personal sense of pride as they take in the fact of his presidency, and emotionally there’s a palpable sense of pride, and it’s the kind of thing that you run into daily here in Harlem. Basically, people are bragging about how well he’s doing and how that reflects on us.”

What’s Black America’s Grade 100 Days into Obama’s Term?....