Obama, Africa, and the Post-Racial

In his article "Obama, Africa, and the Post-Racial" Michael Janis examines aspects of U. S. president Barack Obama's election in the context of the epistemology and history of racism. Following an introduction to the history of racism in Europe and in the U. S., Janis discusses the media in the U. S. and in Africa in relation to African American and African politics. The debates on race ignited by the campaign are considered in the light of Africana perspectives on relations between Africa and the West and on the history of slavery and colonialism. Based on selected data in the media of the U. S. and Africa, Obama's critical reception reveals that the "post-racial" remains contingent upon reparations and the historical contextualization of Western hegemony. What remains to be seen is the extent to which Obama's vision of the U. S. will draw from the African internationalist perspectives with which he is aligned.