Is Obama going to take Black Americans to the promised land?

Chicago, Feb. 23 (ANI): With Barack Obama having completed over a month as the United States 44th and first Black American President, a debate has surfaced over whether he can lead Black Americans to the promised land.

In a debate at the Kellogg School of Management's Black Management Association conference, several questions were raised regarding 'whether black-owned businesses will benefit from an Obama administration'?

The Chicago Sun Times quoted Quintin Primo III President and CEO of Capri Capital, as saying, "President Obama is not going to lead us to the promised land. I think that we as black professionals should expect no special treatment from this administration."

But Kellogg Professor Steven Rogers disagreed.

"Why not? Black folks did something special for him," he said, noting that many local black businessmen and women supported Obama before more prominent supporters like the Pritzkers came on board...What's wrong with us being able to get something back?"

He added, "African Americans have the highest illiteracy rates, the highest unemployment rate, the highest dropout rate. We need special help."

Various scheduled panelists and Obama friends had backed out of the event without offering any immediate explanation. They included Martin Nesbitt, vice president of Pritzker Realty Group, and Jim Reynolds, chairman and chief executive officer of Loop Capital.

Writer of the recent book, 'The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama', Ifill Gwen was moderating the debate.

Later, during a book signing at Northwestern University, Gwan said, "I felt like I had spent my entire career accidentally covering breakthrough politicians. He (Obama) would cap off the story."

When asked, would her book have garnered as much attention if Obama had lost, she said, "I have no way of knowing that. I think there is a broad interest in the conversation about race and politics." Gwen, the moderator of PBS' Washington Week said. (ANI)