Person of the Year: Barack Obama
See 12 reason why we chose Barack Obama as our "Person of the Year!"
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - His goal was to "change" America, and on Nov. 4, 2008, millions of Americans of all backgrounds and political parties united and decided that Barack Obama had rightfully earned the historic title of president of the United States.
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - BET.com concluded that no other person has had a more profound impact on Black America this year. Not only has he inspired a level of enthusiasm unprecedented in recent memory – prompting people of all ages and races to register, vote and become politically active – but he has inspired hope in a political system that many had written off as aloof, ineffective and uncaring.
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - "He's accomplished what very few politicans have been able to do,” said Diana Clark-Baty, Senior Vice-President of BET Digital. “Obama has inspired people, who had thought they had no influence on the future of the country, to come out on Election Day like never before. His message of change came at a time when many Americans had lost faith in politics."
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - BET.com user Nenah Elam said, “My little sister is 11-years-old, and when they announced Obama as the president-elect, she started crying and was talking about it for almost an hour! When is the last time you’ve heard of an election having such an impact on a little girl, especially one at such a young age?!”
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - During his historic victory speech, Obama told a crowd in Chicago, that if anyone, “still doubts America is a place where all things are possible,” to let his historic march into history serve as an example that all things are possible.
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - "I'm not an American...I live in France," said BET.com user TAMIA. "And since he won the election, everybody is looking at us [Black people] differently!!!! So 'change' has come not only in America but in the whole world!!!"
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - Barack Obama, the son of a Kenyan father and a White American mother from Kansas, grew up in Indonesia and Hawaii. His accomplishment is a true milestone, considering that racial segregation was legal in the United States just a few decades ago.
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - “I can’t think of anyone more deserving than President-elect Obama to be named Person of the Year,” said Debra L. Lee, chairwoman and chief executive officer of BET Networks. “He has inspired an entire world by defying the odds, breaking barriers and not only showing us the great progress that we’ve made, but also giving us hope and inspiration for how much more we can accomplish together.”
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - “Thank you BET.com for this great honor. Thank you for running this race with me every step of the way. We are at the dawn of a brand new day for America,” the president-elect told BET.com.
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - "Now, Mr. King can look down from Heaven and say, 'My dream has come true. Thank God for a dream,'" said BET.com user Brittany.
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Person of the Year: Barack Obama - The tradition of BET.com selecting a “Person of the Year” began in 2002. Since then, BET.com users have selected a number of individuals who have made significant contributions to Black America and to America as a whole.