Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

Is Barack Obama Good For Black People? The Great Debate in Harlem, Part 2 of 2
Bill Quigley
12 Aug 2009
🖨️ Print Article
On June 25, hundreds of black America's formost thnkers and doers gathered at St. Mary's Church in Harlem NY to ask and answer the question of whether Barack Obama was good or bad for black America. We here present some of the 5 to 7 minute presentations pro and con on whether Barack Obama is good for black America. Click the flash players to listen to or the mics to download them in MP3 format.

Glen Ford

The fact, says Dr. Jared Ball of Morgan State University and voxunion.com, is that Barack Obama did not emerge from the struggle of our people for peace and justice.  He has been imposed upon us by outside forces in answer to that struggle, not in fulfillment of it..

Charles Barron

 

While NY City Councilman Charles Barron disagrees with some of Obama's policies, he seems to draw a line around those who disagree with the president, calling them “intellectuals” who he says, do the hood no good.

 

Dr. Marimba Ani

Give the brotha a break?  Dr. Marimba Ani doesn't think we should give the American empire a break.  If anything, she notes, having a black man sitting in the big chair makes it harder to fight.

Charles Barron

 

argues that Barack Obama represents incremental but significant change, and even though the election was eight months ago, reaches back to compare Obama with McCain.

 

 

Viola Plummer

Barack Obama is a “yes we can” symbol of national unity for black people, says Viola Plummer.

.

 

Diop Olugbala

 

 

The Uhuru Movement's Diop Olugbala argues that a lesser evil is still quite evil. We can, he insists, do better.

 

Click here for part one of the Great Debate in Harlem, with Glen Ford, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Nellie Bailey and Dr. Gloria Browne Marshall

 

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • BAR Radio Logo
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio March 27, 2026
    27 Mar 2026
    In this week’s segment, we hear about an effort to build community-based power and self-determination for a Black working-class Washington, DC community. But we begin with a report on conditions in…
  • Cuba
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Cuba Solidarity and Resistance to the U.S. Embargo
    27 Mar 2026
    We're joined by Suzanne Adely of the National Lawyers Guild and the International Association of Democratic Lawyers and Corinna Mullin of the US Peace Council and Anti-Imperialist Scholars Collective…
  • PACA
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Community Control DC, A People’s Platform for Collective Self-Determination
    27 Mar 2026
    Pan African Community Action (PACA) recently released a plan for political empowerment in Washington DC, "Community Control DC, A People’s Platform for Collective Self-Determination." Oliver Robinson…
  • Combating Lies thumbnail
    Solomon Comissiong , Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist , Netfa Freeman , Jacqueline Luqman , Gus Griffin
    Combating the Lies and Propaganda that Fuel the USA-Israel War on Iran
    25 Mar 2026
    Jacqueline Luqman, Margaret Kimberley, Netfa Freeman, and Gus Griffin were among the panelists joining Your World News Media to discuss the lies and war propaganda that fuel the brutal war of…
  • Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    Donald Trump and the Truth About Robert Mueller
    25 Mar 2026
    Donald Trump is not lying about Robert Mueller. Mueller was the point man for a plot involving the Democratic Party establishment, intelligence agencies, and corporate media. Russiagate was a…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us