Published: January 21, 2009 01:05 am      

INAUGURATION: NU reflects on the past and future of Obama’s path

Students look at black candidate to highlight what’s changed and what hasn’t

At the consummation of a daylong celebration centered around Barack Obama’s inauguration, Niagara University students used the campaign of another black candidate to highlight both the racial challenges overcome and those ahead.

A group of students Tuesday night watched “Unbossed and Unbought,” a documentary about Shirley Chisholm, a black woman whose 1972 presidential run was met with far less success than Obama.

NU African and African-American history professor Seneca Vaught said the film puts Obama’s election into perspective. During her run, the media treated Chisholm, the first black female congresswoman, as crazy for running while the media seemed to have a fascination with Obama, Vaught said.

“We’re looking back to see what has changed, what remains the same and using that to build on a foundation for the future,” he said. “And as it relates to this film, there are still a lot of issues that still remain unresolved today.”

Notably, black political leaders rejected Chisholm as a candidate and endorsed a white candidate with stances similar to Chisholm’s instead, Vaught said.

Students at Tuesday’s discussion suggested a more diverse society, technology connecting people more broadly and the emergence of stronger minority leadership played a role in Obama doing what Chisholm couldn’t.

For junior Cassie Shelton, seeing the Chisholm documentary showed the country’s growth since 1972.

“I didn’t even know about her or that she ran,” said Shelton, a social science major. “Seeing what she went through, a lot people really have changed their point of views from then to now.”

But for Dan Miller, seeing Obama’s inauguration and Chisholm’s documentary highlighted how little may have changed.

“We still face that today,” Miller said of Chisholm’s struggles. “Barack had to be almost perfect in what he was doing to be elected. It was what he is about and his identity that just matched the circumstances of the country.”

It was still a proud moment for the NU campus when Obama took his oath. The Gallagher Center was buzzing with excitement and filled with students for a morning of activities under the theme, “A Celebration of Unity and Hope.”

The Rev. Joseph Levesque, the college’s president, gave an invocation before Obama’s oath. Afterward, students recited poetry and enjoyed Chicago-style pizza — a nod to Obama’s home.

“There were people everywhere,” said junior and political science major Mark Farnitano, who attended the Chisholm film showing. “A lot of people cheered because Bush is leaving. Overall, the feeling was great. Everyone loved the fact that Obama is going in.”