The most significant historical event that happened to have occurred during my lifetime and that, in my opinion, has shaped the future of this country, would be when Barack Obama was elected president. I remember being five years old and hearing about Obama running for president. I was confused as to why it was such a big deal, but I knew I wanted him to win because my mom wanted him to win. This was about more than just the presidential election, it was the moment many black Americans thought things were going to change. This event was significant because, looking back, I am surprised that he won.
This country still perpetuates a lot of anti-black racism and the fact that he won in 2008 is surprising. It is hard for me to imagine so many people voting for him because so many Americans have such internalized racism that they would never even consider him. When he won, I remember my mom cheering. For many black Americans, it was a time to celebrate. A black person was finally president and maybe that would mean changes were coming for black citizens. It may have changed the way some white people saw black people, but it wasn’t the change we wanted to see. In my five year old brain I thought, if the kids at school see that I am black like Obama is black, then maybe they’ll think it’s cool now. Instead, the racism Obama faced while campaigning only continued, the police were still killing black people, and the kids at school didn’t treat me any better. The historical significance of this event is important to me because it showed that racism isn’t a surface issue and it isn’t something that can be changed in an election. It is in the country in every and all aspects it can be. That is why I chose to write about this today. It is one of the most significant historical events that left an imprint on me.