Obama Fought the Battle of Jericho – and His Story Came Tumbling Down

As a candidate and President, Barack Obama has sought to write a new chapter in the American sacred story of Exodus. Rather that following the model of prophetic leadership exemplified by the “American Moses,” Martin Luther King, Jr., Obama has portrayed himself as the “American Joshua,” the figure who would actually lead the nation into the Promised Land. This essay explores the ways in which Obama crafted his story of the American Joshua, focusing on the narrative and political constraints he encountered, with particular attention to the complex legacy of white supremacy and the civil rights movement.