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From CNN:

The Natural Edges Salon in Dallas, Texas, is a rowdy barbershop where black men gather to loudly talk smack, politics and sports.

But on one wintry November morning last year, the men suddenly stopped talking. Someone turned the radio off, and the barbers’ clippers stopping humming. A man had just challenged the customers’ manhood.

The man was President-elect Obama. He was giving a televised speech challenging men to get involved in their communities.

The men had heard the message before, but this time they could relate to the messenger. Obama had shared their struggles — raised by a single mom, never really knowing his father — but had never used his struggles as an excuse.

Nor could they anymore, some of the men decided. Seven joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of America that morning, barber Michael Johnson says. One of them was Johnson, who says he grew up without his father but was saved by the friendship of an older man.

“I just said, ‘You know what, I can do this today instead of tomorrow,’ ” Johnson said. ” ‘Tomorrow may be too late. I can save a young man’s life today.’ ”

As the nation approaches the first anniversary of Obama’s election, the glow of Obama’s ascendancy may be fading. But it’s still burning bright for some black men. Inspired by Obama, a growing number of black men across the nation have decided to become mentors and pledged to become better fathers, community leaders say.

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Tags: Barack Obama, Black Families, Black Men
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ClosMysterio/ ClosMysterio

    I understand Barack. When it comes to family we have to stand up. But I hope he understands that there are huge obstacles to providing in a society in which black men have to prove themselves before given an oppurtunity. Oh yeah, he’s facing it right now. Not even a year in the presidency and people are writing him off.

  • http://www.blackinfo.net/?p=6150 Black Info.Net – African American News Hub | Black Info.Net

    [...] more here: Obama Inspires Black Men To Step Up Related ArticleOPINION: Black Voters Should View Gay Marriage As A Civil Rights Issue Posted in [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SoularFlarez/ SoularFlarez

    Pope Benedict knows that ‘black’ folks are slowly waking up…..Ausar/Osiris, Heru/Horus, Lazarus, Hiram Abiff, Jesus etc……

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/BXVI_CoA_like_gfx_PioM.svg/450px-BXVI_CoA_like_gfx_PioM.svg.png

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/pantherg08/ pantherg08

    first of all people need to stop drinking the obama kool aid! he is not the savior of black men, the men is only black by literal definition. his mom was white, his dad was AFRICAN from africa, none of his parents are african american. none of his parents went through the civil rights movement, and none of his ancestors were brung to america on slave ships! he was raised in hawaii by his WHITE grandma! Obama is a politician he could care less about black men, if u want proof, take a break from the bet (which is owned by a white men) and watch cnn, msnbc and even fox news which i hate!! evertime there is a huge race issue that happens he refuses to speak on it are he sides with the other side. The only thing thats going to help black’s are themselves! U WANNA NO WHATS WRONG WITH THE BLACK RACE? ITS THE BLACK WOMEN!! YEAH I SAID IT! THIS IS NOT TO ALL, BUT TO THE MAJORITY! ALOT OF BLACK WOMEN WANT THAT THUG IMAGE, THE GET WITH THEM, THEN THE THUG GOES TO PRISON, ARE GET SHOT AND THE WOMEN WONDERS WHY! ALOT DONT WANT THE HARDWORKING SCHOOL GOING BLACK MEN THEY WNAT THE GANGSTER, AND WHEN DADDY IS IN PRISON OR DEAD, THE CHILD IS RAISED IN A SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLD AND MORE THAN LIKELY IN A POOR SITUATION AND NEIGHBORHOOD. THEN THE CYCLE STARTS AGAIN. THE BLACK YOUNG MEN WANTS TO IMPRESS THE WOMEN, SO WHAT DO THEY DO? ACT LIKE A THUG, SELL DRUGS, GO TO JAIL!! IT KEEPS REPEATING ITSELF, THE CYCLE NEEDS TO STOP THEN WE AS A RACE CAN PROGRESS

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tried-N-True/ Tried-N-True

    Simply LMAO…Yeah right…Obama the farce—Please!!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tried-N-True/ Tried-N-True

    pantherg08—I just want to thank you bro for telling the truth. Too many Black people belive the funk and will be fuc*** in the end.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/soveu34/ soveu34

    Wow, this post must be invisible

    As I have said many times over Obama just a man and those who are looking way beyond the truth will be lost.

    Yes, the black community does need to wake up and fast, you dont see any foreigners who have come after AA to this country waiting for no president to validate them nor help them.

    They took what they could and have continue to build upon the little they have and look at them now, no their not perfect but they sure as heck have
    a lots going for them in their communities.

    We can not continue to sit and wait, preach and tithe, we must go within our communities as a whole and take back our neighborhoods from these drug dealers, gang bangers, hoodlums and any low life who doesnt want to contribute to the success of the black communities

    We need to learn from our foreign counterparts, start from nothing to make something

    Yes, I know to some im just talking bs but you be the judge our youth don’t even appreciate or knowledge the history of their own culture. We need to continue to strive for unionism and familism two of the strongest bonds missing in our communities today.

    Peace to all be your own future

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Sub-Negro/ Sub-Negro

    @pantherg08 negro you already know how it works.

    White Democrat 1: How can we appease these African American voters?
    White Democrat 2: There is this guy name Barack Obama
    White Democrat 1: Bark O-who that sounds like a Bin Laden flunkie
    White Democrat 2: No his mom is white and his dad is from Kenya he was born in Hawaii. He wasn’t raised by his father just his white side of the family
    White Democrat 1: Oh ok great so he would’nt be one of them fearsome African Americans like Malcom X. He’d be more passive since he can’t relate to the African Americans here.
    White Democrat 2: Exactly though when does win the primary we do have to make sure he has a white VP. Can’t let them have everything you know.
    White Democrat 1: That sounds like a great plan
    White Republican: We don’t need any Nig err I mean African American to win.
    Both Democrats: Didn’t all of your prominent African American’s leave the party?
    White Republican: Fu.ck you! We still have Michael Stell and Piy err I mean Bobby Jindal!
    Both Democrats: HAHHAHAHAHAHAA! Good luck selling that story!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SoularFlarez/ SoularFlarez

    @pantherg08 negro you already know how it works.

    White Democrat 1: How can we appease these African American voters?
    White Democrat 2: There is this guy name Barack Obama
    White Democrat 1: Bark O-who that sounds like a Bin Laden flunkie
    White Democrat 2: No his mom is white and his dad is from Kenya he was born in Hawaii. He wasn’t raised by his father just his white side of the family
    White Democrat 1: Oh ok great so he would’nt be one of them fearsome African Americans like Malcom X. He’d be more passive since he can’t relate to the African Americans here.
    White Democrat 2: Exactly though when does win the primary we do have to make sure he has a white VP. Can’t let them have everything you know.
    White Democrat 1: That sounds like a great plan
    White Republican: We don’t need any Nig err I mean African American to win.
    Both Democrats: Didn’t all of your prominent African American’s leave the party?
    White Republican: Fu.ck you! We still have Michael Stell and Piy err I mean Bobby Jindal!
    Both Democrats: HAHHAHAHAHAHAA! Good luck selling that story!

    LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Panther real talk !!!!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/stephenfrazier/ stephenfrazier

    Any man, whatever color, who needs a scheming, lying, politician to INSPIRE him is not much of a man in the first place.

    As for blacks being GIVEN an opportunity? That sounds like th ereal problem with black men today. We need to be GIVEN an opportunity, while the white guy out there goes out and CREATES his own opportunity almost as an afterthought.

    I’m not saying our path is easy or that we can succeed as wildly as whites, but I AM saying that the possibility for great success is there if we just get off our lazy asses and WORK for it as a hard as the white guy does.

    Fat chance. It is too easy to whine about the water in the boat than to actually start BAILING.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ericmckay/ ericmckay

    Inspires Black men to Step Up? Are we that much of a bunch of total losers??? Pure and Total BS.
    4oursons.com

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MAJESTIK7/ MAJESTIK7

    Look, they even have Colin Powell up there. As if he is someone for Us to look up to. He was a servant for the Imperialist White Power Structure. He was George Bush’s boy. Represented his behind at the UN to get support to attack Iraq.

    And Obama is carrying on the Imperialist policies of Bush and the rest of the administrations since the U.S. was founded which is one of controlling and exploitation of the world’s People and their Resources. This country has never been involved in war that was just and righteous. NEVER! And don’t say World War II because we were living under Jim Crow getting lynched on a daily during that time.

    I don’t teach my sons to look up to these negro lackeys of white power. I teach them to look up to Great, Strong, Proud Black/African men like Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Huey Newton, Sekou Toure, Patrice Lumumba, Nat Turner, etc. Brothas who did not become pussies for white power. Brothas who stood up to white power and sacrificed for the upliftment of Us All.

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