Progression of a Dream

Two of the most famous black men in United States history hold the most significant relevance in our time. Their connection marks the progression of a dream. Both stood up against and went beyond certain physical and psychological restraints imposed by society. Dr. Martin Luther King and President Barack Hussein Obama are both living wonders in their times. Dr. King took an initiative for change and equality in a southern atmosphere of hatred and cruelty.  He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott after the arrest of Rosa Parks, an African American, for refusing to give up her seat for a white man. In many southern towns and cities he led peaceful rebellions to raise awareness of the racial and social inequalities of that time. He was the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. King most famous act of civil disobedience was his march on Washington to inspire hope with his famous I Have a Dream speech.

Barack Obama, once an Illinois senator before becoming president of the United States, also challenged the restraints of popular opinion. In his run for president, he ran the most sophisticated presidential race in the history of America. His engagement with a number of smaller states and towns with common everyday people, who was once unrecognized as being significant in the election process, gave him the permanent edge. While his opponents pinned their hopes on the more larger and popular states such as New York, and California, Barack Obama also approached people in the  smaller states such as Maine and Nebraska. The most spectacular accomplishment of Barack Obama was becoming the first African American president, a feat that many people; both black and white, never thought would happen within their lifetime.

Both men had a vision of change. Dr. King fought for civil rights and racial equality in a hostile southern environment. Barack Obama fights for the restoration of American integrity and social equality in tough economic times. And the opportunity for every American to have a chance to live the American Dream is one of the visions of President Barack Obama. The goal is to spread the wealth and to mend the divide between the rich, the middle class, and the poor. Each man’s deepest intent was and is to challenge the social structure of America. A social structure involving fairness and good will toward all is an ideal society.

What these two famous African American men have accomplished has changed and will continue to change the fabric of American society. Their connection is obvious.  One man had the hope of the dream and the other man has the reality of the dream. This has giving every African American, as well as other minorities, the hope and freedom of reaching far and beyond what they thought possible.