Racism 2.0 and the Burden of Blackness in the Age of Obama

Section from a longer 2008 speech, 10 days after the presidential election, in which I discuss how racism of a 2.0 variety — which I explain in the clip — may be in full effect despite the election of Barack Obama to the office of the presidency. I also explore how black folks and people of color generally must meet a much higher threshold of acceptability to white voters than white candidates have had to meet, in terms of education, erudition, style and affect, and how the “archetype of acceptable blackness” may become more constricting then ever with the election of President Obama