Obama in Selma: Video clips on the psychology of "acting white" and "absentee fathers"

Insights into Sen. Obama's authenticity can be gleaned from these two video excerpts of his 35 minute speech at the Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church commemorating the 42nd anniversary of the attempted crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge by 600 people, led by John Lewis (now a U.S. Congressman) and SCLC's Hosea Williams.

Obama weighs in on the false perception, generated by popular culture, held by many black youth that equates academic achievement with "acting white." In the manner of Bill Cosby, Obama also addresses personal responsibility and the difficulty growing up without a father, which calls to mind Mary J. Blige's song, "Father In You."

Like a jazz musician soloing, Obama's gave an inspiring speech, but some of the notes he hit didn't ring true. Pumping the pulse of the people from the pulpit, Obama's metaphoric narrative of the connection of his African grandfather and father, his birth and the civil rights movement, specifically the Selma situation had a number of fuzzy facts (which many of the elders surely recognized). Yet, apparently, they were not offended; they knew the perils of preaching. "Keeping it real" via connecting with the people's hearts is what's important, and that's what Obama deftly did.

Click here for a more complete video of Sen. Obama's speech.
Click here for Sen. Obama's Selma speech text.

View photographer Spider Martin's excellent exhibit on this historic event of March 7, 1965.
View videos of the unsuccessful "Bloody Sunday" march and successful one two weeks later.