One of the great moments in life is participating in history. Not many people gain that opportunity–but I have more than once. The pinnacle for a journalist with a passion for politics is to cover the White House. For the past six months, I have periodically traveled to Washington to witness to President Barack Obama remake America. I was the first magazine editor to interview him. I’ve had the privilege of sitting in the front row of news conferences as he has detailed his economic agenda and foreign policy objectives. But nothing prepared me for the experience of traveling on Air Force One.
I received the call on Monday from Corey Ealons, who works for the White House press office. He told me that I had been invited to participate in a reporters’ roundtable with the president as he flew to New York to address the NAACP convention commemorating the organization’s centennial anniversary.
I didn’t realize how profoundly this assignment would affect me. Some 45 years ago, the Civil Rights Act was passed. Up to that time, African Americans were basically relegated to second-class citizenship, denied the right to participate fully in American society. Yesterday, I was one of seven black journalists with an exclusive audience with the first African American President of the United States on the airborne White House–one of the world’s greatest symbols of power and authority. It would not be compromising my status as a fair and balanced journalist to admit that a wave of pride washed over me. I had come a long way from my hometown newspaper in Norfolk, Virginia. More importantly, African Americans had trekked an incredible distance over the last century to possess this level of power–and literally have a front-row seat covering it.
The trip started in the White House press briefing room where I met my fellow travelers–TV One’s Roland Martin, American Urban Radio’s April Ryan, Ebony‘s Kevin Chappell, Essence Magazine’s Cynthia Gordy, New York Amsterdam News‘ Herb Boyd and BET’s Pamela Gentry. When the van that carried me and my colleagues from the White House arrived at Andrews Air Force Base, my heart began to leap out of my chest as I viewed the huge blue-and-white 747 jetliner in front of me.
We didn’t board the plane from the rear with the rest of the White House press corps. We climbed the stairs in the front of the plane–the same stairs as the president. As we entered the plane, I was immediately awed by the stately interior. It smelled like power. We were then taken to the guest area–a row of brown leather seats and elegant dining tables. This is the same area where dignitaries and the presidential guests are seated–most recently, baseball legend Willie Mays who accompanied President Obama to Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game. Chapell, Ryan and Gentry had traveled on Air Force One before, but never from this vantage point.
It was an hour and a half that I will remember for the rest of my life. We received a tour
of the entire aircraft including the president’s executive suite, complete with a stateroom and his “airborne Oval Office.” During the tour, we also witnessed staff work stations and galleys capable of providing 100 meals at one sitting. By the way, we were served lunch on the flight — a delicious meal of beef and pineapple.
After our meal, we entered a plush conference room where we were warmly greeted by President Obama and Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett. During the session, he offered each journalist an opportunity to ask one question. Our subjects ranged from GOP Chairman Michael Steele’s criticisms of his policies, to healthcare reform, to the use of TARP funds to bail out small business (my question). Although the flight is bumpy at times, the president’s delivery is smooth, answering questions in the composed, thoughtful style that’s become his trademark.
But the session had another significance. Since the presidential air transport started in 1944 during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, no other commander-in-chief had provided
such a forum to the black press on Air Force One. Obama’s act communicates that our publications and audiences are valued when it comes to covering the policies of the president–regardless of who occupies the White House. My colleagues and I gained a deeper connection during that trip, reveling in our exclusive experience. We weren’t being cocky; we all enjoyed that rare moment.As I shared this experience with my mother and siblings, their pride further crystallized its significance. As a kid with dreams of covering the White House, I never realized that I would report on the first African American president, one who would be poised to reshape the country for a generation and would demonstrate that African Americans can perform at the highest level. Little did I know that I would not only help to record history but make a little of my own. On Air Force One, we all soared to unprecedented heights.
Derek T. Dingle is the editor-in-chief of Black Enterprise magazine.