US President Barack Obama Delivers Empowering Message To Howard University Students

During the graduation commencement ceremony of Howard University on Saturday, U.S. President Barack Obama advised African-American students to be proud of their heritage. The POTUS also encouraged them to exercise their right of suffrage.

According to NPR, Obama tagged the university as the "centerpiece" of the black American's intellectual life. President Barack Obama explained that Howard University is a big part of the story of their race in the United States.

"Be confident in your heritage. Be confident in your blackness," Barack Obama told the graduates. "There's no one way to be black. Take it from somebody who's seen both sides of the debate about whether I'm black enough."

President Obama further explained to the students that the status of African-Americans in the society has changed for the better since the time he graduated from college. Obama, however, stressed that there is still a lot that needs to be done especially in terms of justice and employment.

Washington Post said Barack Obama denied that his presidency was the reason why the U.S. is a better nation for black Americans. "No, my election did not create a post-racial society. I don't know who was propagating that notion, but that was not mine."

It was also noted in the same report that the students at Howard warmly welcomed President Barack Obama and even cheered him to stay as president for four more years. Obama is expected to speak in two more commencement ceremonies at the Rutgers University in New Jersey and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

The message of his speech, as per Washington Post, is not really about leaving a legacy, but rather, continuing to push the agenda of his administration until a next president runs the country in January. President Barack Obama is, however, aware that a Congress dominated by Republicans may not enact "significant" laws during an election year.