Nonetheless, I think in the sense that RFK meant it, it was a man who appeared to others to be a “negro” (one who might one day have been lynched by the KKK for his appearance) will one day become President. I don’t believe the term “negro” refers to the place of your birth (Hawaii, Pacific Islander).

Mr. Obama tells in his book “Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance” how he decided about 30 years ago to call himself black and take his place in the black community. In 1980, when he was 19, he told his mother and grandparents who raised him that he no longer wanted to be called Barry, opting for Barack. He was asked in an interview much later about this topic and said the designation was not solely his choice. “I’m not sure I decided it. I think, you know, if you look African-American in this society, you’re treated as an African-American. If I’m outside your building trying to catch a cab, they’re not saying, ‘Oh, there’s a mixed-race guy’.”

I think Mr. Obama made a pretty good point. In one sense, since it appears all humanity evolved from out of Africa, technically we’re all African Americans. But I think in the colloquial, walking down the street sense, if Barack Obama was introduced to you before he became famous and you were asked later by a friend whether he was a pacific islander or a black man or a white man, if you had to choose you wouldn’t choose the former or the latter. In RFK’s time I think most people would have referred to Mr. Obama as a negro, and scoffed at his chance of becoming President.

Thank you for correcting that mistake on the date I didn’t think President Obama was a Negro? His birth certificate indicates that he is a Pacific Islander…..being that he was born in Hawaii….. Also his Mother was white….. So if you would really want to call what he is what would you call him? So he is not the 1st African President!