Obama as History or Heritage?

Thinking through the issues around history and heritage over the last few weeks, it has been fascinating to observe the events leading up to and including the inauguration of Barak Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Countless pieces of media coverage contain a common thread, that this event is “historical” in nature and that we are witnessing “history in the making.” 

Since starting this course, I have been thinking more critically about statements like these, 

and tend to now perk up and listen closely when ideas or statements involving historical themes are raised. During the planning stages for my group’s first week presentation, we discussed a number of topics, including the concept of what makes something “historic.” One of the members of my group brought forth a newspaper that was published on the day that her first son was born. This piece of “personal history” is meaningful not because of the content (she admitted she had not read or even opened the newspaper) but because it signifies the day her first child was born.

It seems as though one of the collective or public criteria for what makes an event historic is the phenomenon of “firsts.” We celebrate firsts – in news, sports, politics, and economics. The inauguration of Obama has been repeatedly deemed historic because of his colour. I have an African friend who recently said to me, “Ok, we get it- he’s black, can we move on now.” But will the second black US president get the same ‘histori

c’ label.’ Interestingly, the group member who kept the newspaper from her first child did not keep a newspaper from her second.

So then I wonder whether the Barak inauguration would be a historic event or a heritage event. Chances are I should see it as both.  Obama’s comparisons with Lincoln, King and Kennedy seem to be a overt desire to connect him with a particular theme and strand of what it means to be “American.” Watching the news, following the stories online, I sensed a number of celebrations running parrellel, while the election of Obama the person was one focus, so was the realization of the “American dream” in the election of this man. I sensed that the country was not celebrating him, but celebrating themselves, and that this first Black president was a heritage symbol for what American has been, can be and will be.

And yet, even in the loud and numerous voices, chanting for emergence of this new era of change an

d hope, and for the emotion that I have seen on so many faces at so many Obama events, I now wonder whether this time of change is really a time of change for everybody? Are all voices in America chanting in unison? Obviously this is not the case, is it possible to have an account of history that does cover all voices and give time to all perspectives? 

This iconic image of Barak was taken from Wikipedia.  One of the things I find interesting about this poster is that is has already been acquired by the Smithsonian Museum, which (according to Wikipedia) is usually an event that happens as a President is leaving office, not before they have been inaugurated.