Obama’s Inauguration – Former Black Presidents

Richard Pryor shows how farcical the idea of a black president seemed in the 1970s. Eddie Murphy seems to think that it’s a bit closer in 1983 – at least if enough white folks get drunk before voting – but hopes he’s nimble if he does win. More than 20 years later, Dave Chappelle still shares his fears and suggests a Mexican vice president as insurance. James Earl Jones has to deal with becoming The Man in 1972 (”It took an accident to make this man President of the United States. What they do to him now won’t be an accident.”) Finally, Obama’s refreshingly honest and thoughtful speech about race in the USA during the election campaign. (This is a YouTube playlist.  If you want to see a list of the videos, click the icon next to the play button at the bottom left.)

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=DCE00CBABA0758D0

There’s also a 1964 clip from the BBC where Martin Luther King predicts a black president in less than 25 years.  Only a few years late…

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  • obama is saving the world

    Posted by beatrice brown at 14:00 on March 7th, 2009

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Post categories: Essays and Blogs, Politics

Tags: barack obama, comedy, dave chappelle, eddie murphy, election, inauguration, james earl jones, president, race, richard pryor, usa