Economic exploitation, greed, sexism, violence, racism: we have not dismantled those forces yet in our midst. Obama represents that a change has come, but if you do not deal with the socioeconomic, political forces that inhibit people and create torture and cruelty, you can't make progress [toward] King's understanding of this society as [one] of liberty, equality and justice for all.
Civil Rights and the Obama Presidency
They paved the way for Barack Obama's historic Inauguration, to be held just one day after the nation's annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Seven icons of the civil rights movement reflect on their progress and setbacks, the meaning of Jan. 20 to African Americans and what King would make of the country Obama will soon lead