Melissa Harris-Perry panel: The history of black presidents in the movies

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“Quick: When was the first time you ever saw a black man hold the title president of the United States?”

“If you said President Barack Obama well, you’d only be partially correct,” said Melissa Harris-Perry on her show on MSNBC Sunday.

In a special TV segment, Harris-Perry was joined by The Best Man Holiday director Malcolm D. Lee and other panelists to discuss the history of black presidents in the movies.

They review Morgan Freeman’s role as president in 1998’s Deep Impact and most recently, Jamie Foxx’s presidential performance in this year’s White House Down. 

Watch the video above as the MHP panel discusses if reality has mirrored fiction and what impact this has had for people of color in positions of power.

Follow Lilly Workneh on Twitter @Lilly_Works