We Were Eight Years in Power Summary

Barack Obama’s presidency was not the fulfillment of Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream but a mirror reflecting the complexity of race relations in America.

1. The Rise of Black Voices During Obama's Presidency

The election of Barack Obama as the first Black president was a landmark moment in American history that elevated the status of Black writers, speakers, and thinkers. During his presidency, many Black voices, including authors and journalists, found a larger platform to discuss race and inequality.

However, not all prominent voices shared the same narrative. For instance, Bill Cosby’s speeches often emphasized personal responsibility over systemic racism. Cosby argued that African-Americans should take moral responsibility for their lives and claimed that post-segregation culture had developed self-defeating tendencies. This stance diverts attention from historical inequities and ongoing racism, placing blame on Black Americans themselves.

The author critiques this approach, suggesting it mirrors the rhetoric of white supremacy by ignoring systemic oppression. Black poverty and crime, he explains, are not products of culture but consequences of a history rooted in slavery, segregation, and discrimination.

Examples

• Post-racial optimism after Obama's election bolstered diverse Black narratives.
• Bill Cosby’s "Pound Cake speech" falsely blamed Black culture for systemic failures.
• Historical injustices and systemic racism persist as barriers for Black communities.

2. Michelle Obama’s Identity Reflects a Broader Story of Black America

Michelle Obama’s story provides a lens into the complexities of Black identity. Growing up on Chicago’s South Side, she enjoyed a sheltered childhood within a Black community, where racial identity was normalized rather than stigmatized.

This protective cocoon of her upbringing contrasts with her later experience at Princeton, where she became aware of her race in a predominantly white institution. Many Black Americans share similar journeys, perceiving a shift in how they experience their Blackness when moving beyond their communities.

Michelle’s narrative emphasizes Black pride in her roots and the universal significance of family. Yet, it also highlights how stepping into white-dominated spaces requires coding one’s behavior to fit societal expectations, often at the cost of cultural authenticity.

Examples

• Michelle’s childhood shows the community-driven pride of the South Side of Chicago.
• Her transition to Princeton exemplifies how racial identity awareness changes in new spaces.
• Her story moves beyond victimhood, focusing on resilience and family.

3. Slavery is America’s Foundation, Not Just Its Past Mistake

The narrative of slavery as America’s "original sin" undermines its true role: it was the economic and social foundation of the nation. Slavery wasn’t an aberration; it was integral to the building of American wealth and democracy.

For instance, by the Civil War, cotton grown by slaves constituted 60 percent of U.S. exports, generating enormous wealth. Yet, modern narratives often downplay slavery when discussing the causes of the Civil War, reframing the conflict as one over states’ rights or economic policies rather than the nation’s dependency on slavery.

Viewing slavery as history rather than foundational history fosters willful ignorance. By avoiding this uncomfortable truth, America fails to address how slavery’s legacy continues to shape systemic racial inequities today.

Examples

• Slavery generated immense wealth, with cotton exports worth $75 billion in the 1860s.
• The Civil War is often misrepresented as a clash of ideologies rather than a fight over slavery.
• Modern systems of inequity are rooted in the exploitation of Black people.

4. Malcolm X Restored Black Pride

Malcolm X’s speeches and activism in the 1960s gave Black Americans an empowering question: "Who taught you to hate yourselves?" He encouraged them to embrace their identity and reject internalized racism.

Before Malcolm X, being Black often carried negative connotations. His influence birthed slogans like “Black is beautiful” and laid the foundation for later cultural movements, such as hip-hop, which celebrate Black identity and narrative control.

Even Barack Obama admired Malcolm X’s legacy, alluding to him as an inspiration in his work to create bridges between Black America and the broader nation.

Examples

• Malcolm X reframed “Black” from an insult to a source of pride.
• Cultural symbols, like “Black is beautiful," were inspired by his leadership.
• Obama's political career drew from Malcolm X’s themes of self-definition and empowerment.

5. Obama’s Presidency Empowered, Yet Exposed Deep Racism

Obama’s presidency inspired hope and achievement in Black communities. Black parents could point to him as visible proof that being Black didn’t limit potential. However, his presidency also provoked racist backlash.

Obama rarely discussed race openly during his presidency. However, when he addressed issues like Trayvon Martin’s death, even these measured statements incited fury from the right, turning tragedies into politically divisive conflicts centered on race.

The racist sentiment that simmered under the surface boiled over during his presidency, a reality underscored by the rise of right-wing figures like Donald Trump, who perpetuated false claims about Obama’s citizenship.

Examples

• Obama rarely addressed race but still faced accusations of favoritism toward Black Americans.
• Trayvon Martin’s death became a battleground for partisan politics after Obama’s remarks.
• The backlash against Obama contributed to the rise of racially charged politics.

6. Reparations Are a Logical Response to Historical Injustice

While the idea of reparations may seem radical to some, America’s wealth was built on the exploitation of Black labor, making reparations a logical demand. Enslaved people were valued more than all U.S. industrial resources before the Civil War.

Even after emancipation, systemic theft continued: Black landowners lost property through schemes, and financial institutions exploited Black homebuyers in the 20th century. Efforts to rebuild Black wealth were consistently undermined through discriminatory policies.

The author argues that reparations should be considered as compensation for the tangible losses experienced by Black Americans—both historical and ongoing.

Examples

• American slaves were worth more than manufacturing and infrastructure combined in 1860.
• Black landowners were systematically stripped of 24,000 acres of property.
• Housing discrimination shaped the persistent racial wealth gap.

7. Incarceration's Deep Racial Divide

Mass incarceration in the U.S. disproportionately affects Black Americans. By the early 2000s, one in ten Black men in their twenties and thirties was in prison. High incarceration rates disrupt families, leaving many Black children without fathers.

This reality is rooted in historical practices of criminalizing Black existence. New laws introduced post-Civil War extended the policing of Black bodies once slavery was abolished, maintaining the control slavery once exerted.

Aggressive policing in Black neighborhoods sustains this legacy, turning over-policed communities into pipelines for mass incarceration.

Examples

• Black men are ten times more likely to be incarcerated than white men.
• Post-slavery laws criminalized Black existence through “vagrancy” charges.
• Heavy policing in Black areas increases arrest rates disproportionately.

8. Obama’s Optimism Stemmed From His Unique Upbringing

Unlike many Black Americans, Obama trusts white America. This mindset comes from being raised in a white family after his Kenyan father’s departure. He developed faith in white goodness, allowing him to navigate racial lines more fluidly.

Obama’s background enabled him to connect with both Black and white communities. This connection was integral to his political ascent, as he represented an optimistic vision of racial unity.

Still, his optimism contrasts sharply with the lived experiences of many Black Americans, whose mistrust of white institutions is anchored in generations of systemic racism.

Examples

• Obama’s white family instilled a sense of racial trust.
• He bridged divides as both a Black and white figure politically.
• His optimism has been challenged by the persistence of systemic racism.

9. Racism Remains America’s Unresolved Legacy

Far from marking the end of racism, Obama’s presidency revealed its deep entrenchment. Trump’s rise to power, built on questioning Obama’s legitimacy, symbolizes ongoing racial resentments.

Despite racial progress, systemic inequalities in housing, wealth, and justice systems persist. Narratives blaming Black Americans for these inequities deny the truth of America’s foundation in racism.

The author concludes that recognizing and addressing this truth is essential for genuine progress.

Examples

• Trump fueled racism by promoting the “Birther movement.”
• Wealth and housing disparities show the durability of systemic injustice.
• Racist backlash during Obama’s tenure reflects America’s unresolved racial tension.

Takeaways

1. Educate yourself on the historical foundations of systemic racism in America, including slavery’s economic impact.
2. Advocate for policies, like reparations and just housing practices, that address historical inequities.
3. Become informed about over-policing and mass incarceration's disproportionate effects on Black communities and work toward reform.