There are two myths that I want to address about President Barack Obama in reference to black Americans. The first myth is the notion that somehow with Obama’s election as president, racism in America has ceased to be a profound problem.

Yes, it’s a beautiful thing to see that a large number of whites transcended their own racism, prejudices, reticence, and/or other questions about the electability of a black president and voted with their hearts and minds for Obama. But let there be no mistake that most blacks do not have the education, drive, finances, and luck that Obama has been blessed to possess. Moreover, the same  prejudices, gaps and racial disparities that existed between whites and blacks on November 4, 2008, exist today. Furthermore, some of these racial disparities have endured for hundreds of years, regardless if people want to admit or not.

Obama is not a wizard who can waive a magic wand and erase all of the ills of America away with one fail swoop, and especially the entrenched racism in America that has dogged this country for hundreds of years. But his election is a huge thumbs up for  multiculturalism, ethnic diversity and equality. Just the fact that Obama and his family are positive images of a successful black family—and in fact, the First Family—in America will have at least a passive affect upon the minds of all Americans. This symbolism will hopefully dispel many of the racial stereotypes that have taken root in the American psyche, as well as counteract the belief that blacks are a monolithic culture where everyone thinks alike. Like the fictional Cosby Show of the 1980s, the real life Obamas will chip away at the undercurrent of ignorance and skepticism between the races.

Perhaps Obama will use his bully pulpit by speaking directly about the negative effects of racism in America from a social and economic perspective.  If  nothing else, he will confront issues that directly affect a disproportionate number of blacks and other racial minorities, as well as most whites in this country. Being a product of multiculturalism and ethnic diversity himself, but also being able to overcome the racism in America that he has experienced, Obama may be the perfect representative to speak to blacks and whites.  He can show blacks that you can make it notwithstanding the racial barriers that still exist, but he can also speak to whites about how racism in America is still very much pervasive and detrimental to the social and economic future of America.    Maybe Obama’s image and voice will move the country towards the day when people refuse to believe that blacks voted for a man solely because he is black, which is a second myth.

I have heard whites and blacks insinuate that blacks voted for Obama simply because he is black. To me, this is a condescending notion that skirts on racism itself. The assumption is that blacks are one big hive of drones that makes decisions based on nothing but a person’s skin color. This is ludicrous, and far from the truth. Don’t get me wrong, it’s almost a certainty that some blacks may have voted for Obama because he is black, just like some whites voted against him for the very same reason. But, the large preponderance of blacks voted for Obama because they agreed with his stance on the issues—the very same reason why even more whites voted for Obama.

I have been in some heated arguments with some members of my family about this very same subject. I have attempted to explain that Alan Keyes would have garnered more support from blacks if color was the standard by which blacks make decisions about their political leadership. My brother-in-law exclaimed that, “Alan Keyes was never electable!” I told him that people were saying the same thing about Obama before he won the Iowa caucuses. If people were totally honest, the main reason that many whites and blacks were probably saying and thinking that Obama was not electable at the time was because of his skin color. After Iowa, the whole world realized that perhaps Americans would be true to themselves and vote for the person whom they identified with in regards to the issues. And, it was only then that a large majority of blacks really began to take notice and decided to support Obama. Before Iowa, most blacks—particularly the ones with political and economic power—supported Hillary Clinton. So, it is really intellectually dishonest and very shortsighted to say that blacks voted for Obama because he is black.

Now, as I alluded to before, I am not saying that Obama’s skin color wasn’t taken into account in the minds of many blacks on Election Day, but I am saying that Obama’s ethnicity was not the definitive factor for the overwhelming majority of blacks when they voted for Obama during the primaries, as well as Election Day. Obama was the best at saying the things that America wanted to hear during a very important campaign. This is the main reason that most Americans—including blacks—voted for Obama. His beliefs, general outlook about the direction of the country, and solutions to deal with American and global problems were judged by the majority of Americans as what this country needs in order to thrive as a society, and lead the world into the future.