Some Blacks Think Obama Could Threaten Progress

Despite being a landmark in black American history, Barack Obama’s pending nomination could stall civil rights progress, some blacks say, because his success could fuel an argument that racial divisions have been healed, the New York Times reports. The danger is “that we declare victory,” a sociologist said. “Historic as this moment is, it does not signify a major victory in the ongoing battle.”

“If Obama becomes the president, every remaining, powerfully felt black grievance and every still deeply etched injustice will be cast out of the realm of polite discourse,” adds another sociologist. For his part, Obama noted this year that he had “never been so naïve as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle.” (More Barack Obama stories.)