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Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates - Ta-Nehisi Coates is a senior editor for The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics, and social issues for TheAtlantic.com and the magazine. He is the author of the memoir The Beautiful Struggle. More

Born in 1975, the product of two beautiful parents. Raised in West Baltimore—not quite The Wire, but sometimes ill all the same. Studied at the Mecca for some years in the mid-’90s. Emerged with a purpose, if not a degree. Slowly migrated up the East Coast with a baby and my beloved, until I reached the shores of Harlem. Wrote some stuff along the way.
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Something just occurred to me

By Ta-Nehisi Coates

Jun 3 2008, 8:12 PM ET Comment

OK, sorry I have been gone guys. It is weird but I feel like I've been neglecting my kids! Anyway, I've been away working on pub stuff for the books. But I see now that Obama has clinched it. Obviously I have a rush of thoughts and feelings, but this is my major one--Barack Obama is on the precipice of becoming the most powerful black man since the whole concept of "blackness" was invented. I mean this dude could nuke a country. Sorry, but for those who came up under Reagan, Bush etc., the idea of a black man with his finger on the button is mind-blowing in so many incredible ways--and most of them aren't very positive. I need to think on this some more. But if any of you are reading, I'd love to hear some thoughts.



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