Updated 06/06/2008 10:16 PM
A Historic Candidate
DELMAR, N.Y. -- One of six children, retired UAlbany history professor Dr. Maurice Thorton was born during The Depression in Birmingham Alabama.
"For the first part of my life I grew up in a segregated world. It was middle class, but it was segregated,” said Dr. Maurice Thorton, Former Professor, Obama Supporter .
Thorton's first integrated experience was after college when he joined the army. During the 60's, he was a part of the movement of those who desperately wanted to see the change Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy spoke about. He mourned with the nation when they both were assassinated.
"Did you ever think then, that you'd see the day when a Black man would get as far as Barack Obama got?" "No." My daddy used to say, white kids can think about the fact that no matter where they were born they could be president. That's something that he never thought about,” said Thorton.
On Tuesday night everything changed.
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“Democratic Presidential nominee,” said Barack Obama.
"If I were younger I would've jumped up and down and shouted hallelujah. With a great deal of restraint, I just put my hands together like this and said 'Lord, Thank you, thank you. This is something where I wish my father were alive,” said Thorton, Former Professor.
Thorton said the black community is proud of Obama but it's not only about race. He truly believes Obama would be a great president.
"It has nothing to do with race in that sense as far as I'm concerned; he an extraordinarily well qualified person. Only events will make a president,” said Thorton.
And for the road ahead he says Obama will make it all the way.
"I think that the Country's ready for a change and unfortunately McCain represents the past and not the present or the future,” said Thorton.
Thorton said he's already seeing the change in the young.
"I was looking at television just the other day and there were kids, African-American kids, who were saying 'If Barack Obama can do it I can too!' It made me feel so good,” said Thorton.
With the Country’s highest glass ceiling nearly shattered, the mentality of Thorton's father may now be a past reality.