John Hope Franklin, professor emeritus of history, called the election of Barack Obama as the first black president of the United States "one of the most historic moments—if not the most historic moment—in the history of the country."
And at 93, he's seen a lot of history.
Well-known for his work on African-American history, Franklin also served as chairman of President Bill Clinton's One America: The President's Initiative on Race. In 1995, he was named the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Franklin says he suspected "people would be reluctant to see an African-American president of the United States... [but he] knew it would come sooner or later."
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