By Barrington M. Salmon and Brittany Burton

Trice Edney News Wire

With President Obama poised to leave office after two terms, advocates and supporters are concerned about the durability of his legacy after eight years of intense and sustained opposition from Republicans and the promise by his Republican successor to erase any semblance of the Obama presidency. 

“I don’t think President Obama has anything to worry about. The notion of erasing his legacy, are you crazy? Legacy is who he is and was,” said Dr. Sharon Ames-Dennard, a psychologist and entrepreneur based in Tallahassee, Fla.

“The feebleminded can always be convinced of anything. There are many things that he and his wife have done right. There were no scandals,” she said. “You know they were looking for the women, but every chance he got, he boosted up his wife.”

The Rev. Derrick Harkins, senior vice president for Innovation in Public Programs at Union Theological Seminary in New York, said President Obama’s political acumen, graciousness and consistency endeared him to African-Americans. He believes history will be kind to the 44th president, who leaves office on Friday, Jan. 20.

“He is a president who sought to speak to the full expanse of America,” Rev. Harkins said. “Much of his legacy spoke to the needs of all Americans.

“I know the president, know him in the sense of a black man who is part of a beautiful family. They gave a sense of grace, a sense of who they are. President Obama was never uncomfortable being himself. He never lost his bearing.”

Rev. Harkins agreed with Dr. Ames-Dennard about the resilience and robust nature of President Obama’s legacy and framed it in the context of almost a decade of Republican opposition. 

“I think the motivation on the part of many people was to negate the last eight years,” said Rev. Harkins, a former director of faith outreach for the Democratic National Committee and adviser to the president.

“But you can’t erase the inevitable. The United States is part of the global community. You can’t build walls or separate yourself from those around you. They will try to dismantle many or all of (President Obama’s) executive orders but the Kansas-Kenyan Harvard Law student will prevail. No one can undo what has happened.”

Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever, a District of Columbia activist and businesswoman, said that while President Obama should have adopted a more activist role, she’s proud of his accomplishments. 

She said as the country begins to suffer economic whiplash and Republicans launch attacks on the Affordable Care Act and try to erode civil, human and other rights, the appreciation for President Obama will broaden exponentially.

“I’ve been proud of the president’s character, level of dignity, work ethic and moral compass,” said Dr. Jones-DeWeever, president and CEO of Incite Unlimited consulting firm.

“I’m particularly grateful that for my two boys, President Obama has been the definition of what a president is. It has been beautiful. I’m also happy that he has made significant progress in releasing people trapped in the prison-industrial complex.”

According to Forbes magazine, the U.S. economy has grown for 78 consecutive months, with the economic recovery under President Obama better in almost every metric compared to the recovery under President Reagan.

The nation is enjoying the longest period of private sector job growth in history, according to the statistics. Unemployment stands at 4.9 percent, the federal deficit has been reduced by two-thirds since 2009 and the stock market has soared to record levels.

Then there’s health insurance in the form of the Affordable Care Act, under which 20 million Americans have enrolled since 2010. 

“I believe that history will ultimately fortify his brilliance,” said Dr. Jones-DeWeever of Obama. “He brought security, standing and respect to the world stage and now we’re the laughing stock of the international community.”

Documentary filmmaker Mimi Machado-Luces described herself an unabashed Obama supporter. She said African-Americans love the outgoing president for a number of reasons, including the way he has led the nation and the many positive examples he has set.

“I will defend President Obama’s importance and impact with every ounce of integrity I have as a voting American citizen of African descent,” said the producer and promoter. “As a Venezuelan immigrant, I have a few issues. However those issues are more based on our nation’s policies with my country and not in the manner in which President Obama led the nation. He was the best president this nation has ever had because he truly is a president for all Americans, including Native Americans, African- Americans, Latin-Americans, Afro-Latino Americans, LGBT Americans, Asian- Americans, Muslim Americans, and all other categories we can possibly come up with.”

Ms. Machado-Luces said she fears for her future and those of her son and daughter.

“We’re going to go back to some foolishness. I’m going to suffer without Obamacare if there’s no replacement,” she said.

Pride in the nation’s first black president likely will remain untarnished, several people said.

“In all my years of life I never thought I would ever see a black president,” said retiree Alice Walton, 69.

“Being black in America is hard enough,” said Letris Bryant, 53, of Springfield, Ill. “And now to feel like our new leader does not have my people’s best interest at heart…”

Likewise, some millennials worry that President-elect Donald Trump will run America into the ground and that he does not care about the interests of all Americans.

“Donald Trump winning the presidency shows just how powerful people of wealth really are,” said Aaliyah Caldwell, 22, a student at Howard University. “He has no political experience, yet people saw him fit to run the United States.” 

So what does the Trump presidency mean for black Americans?

“We have to continue to fight for equality and justice and the right of fair treatment,” said Devin Jones, a student at Howard University. “We cannot let this man get the best of us.

“Protesting isn’t enough,” he continued. “We have to educate our people on the truth about American culture and how white-washed it is.”

For young voters, the Trump presidency will be difficult to embrace, in part because President Obama is the only president they have ever voted for.

“It will take me some time to accept what America has thrown at me,” said Linda McNeil, a resident of the District of Columbia. 

Jessica Shaw is taking a positive view, saying millennials can do something about the future.

“Moving forward, we must not fight with one another,” she said. “There is too much work that needs to be done. We have to fight, petition, pray and stay in good spirits to be at peace with ourselves in preparation for the future.”