Could this be the final victory for civil rights, or the first of many to come? When Henry Louis Gates spoke out about his ridiculous arrest, he stated a truth few Americans—including President Obama—are eager to discuss: there is no such thing as a post–racial America. When it comes to race, the United States has come a long way, but not far enough and not fast enough. Every day, we cope with casual racism, myriad indignities, institutional obstacles, post–racial nonsense, and peers bent on self–destruction. The powers that be, meanwhile, always seem to arrive with their apologies and redress a day late and a dollar short. This book takes a close look at the lives of African–Americans from diverse backgrounds as Obama’s victory comes to play a personal role in each of their lives. Every tale delves into the complex issues we will have to deal with going forward: The many challenges young black men face, such as subtle persistent racism The stagnation of blacks vis à vis whites Widespread black participation in the military despite widespread anti–war sentiments The decline of unions even as organized labor becomes the primary vehicle for black progress The challenges of interracial families The lack of good schools or healthcare for the poor The inability of well–off blacks to lift up others Barack Obama will deliver his first official State of the Union address in January 2010, and A Day Late and a Dollar Short will deliver an altogether different picture of the way things really under the first black president.