This first day of the Democratic National Convention will begin a precedent setting event for African Americans. Presumptive nominee, Senator Barak Obama, is the first African American to win the majority of delegates through in the primary elections. This advancement, like many advancement for members of a minority, coincides with an Emotional High. Here are some other precedents in history:
- Frederick Douglass was the first African-American to receive a vote for president at a major party convention, he got 1 vote from Republicans in 1888 (Emo. High 1883-1901).
- Jesse Jackson was the more recent African-American to have his name placed in nomination by Democrats in 1988.
Other Minorities at the DNC:
- Forty-four percent of convention delegates represent minority communities.
- African-Americans make up about 24 percent of this year’s delegation, the largest share in Democratic convention history.
- Asian and Pacific Islander Americans make up almost five percent of the delegates in this year’s Democratic convention.
- Almost 12 percent of Democratic convention delegates are Hispanic.
- Gay and lesbians make up almost six percent of this year’s delegates, about 250 in total.
- Almost four percent of the delegates at the DNC have disabilities.
- Approximately 110 of the delegates are of Native American descent, about three percent of the total delegation.[1. Source: statics above (minus refences to Cycles) came from the CNN Newsroom televised on Monday morning, August 25, 2008.]
More Notes:
- African Americans comprise 24 percent of the delegation and the DNC.[2. Source: CNN: America Votes 2008: Democratic National Convention, August 25, 2008.]
Senator Barack Obama gave an historic speech to accept his nomination as a presidential candidate at the convention on August 28, 2008. Senator Obama is the first African-American to be nominated for president in American history. His speech inspire emotional and even some tears to an enthusiastic crows at the convention, and across a televised nation. This historic precedent came during an <a href=http://www.kalarhythms.org/american-cycles/21st-century/2000s-timelines.htm#pol.emo target=”_blank”>Emotional High</a>.