This week, the nation’s first African American President bid the nation farewell in a stirring and emotional speech in his adopted hometown of Chicago. The moment was notable for us as a leading civil rights and racial justice organization for whom his presidency has held special significance.

As we noted in our scorecard evaluating his presidency, President Obama has both seen  successes and missed opportunities, but there is no denying the historical import of his two terms to Black America in particular. We are at a breathtaking crossroads in history, between parents who could not have imagined a Black man in the nation’s highest office and children who have never known any other.  Read more…