Putting the African into African American:

As the son of a Kenyan immigrant Barack Obama's challenges and opportunities have been different from other African-American politicians, exposing the tensions both within black America and the diaspora.

Chicago based author, broadcaster and award-winning columnist for The Guardian, Gary Younge explores what it has really meant to have an African in the White House.

As well as writing for The Guardian, Gary Younge also writes a monthly column for The Nation magazine and is the Alfred Knobler Fellow for The Nation Institute. His third book, Who Are We?, And Should it Matter in the 21st century, was shortlisted for the Bristol Festival of Ideas Prize in 2011.