The United States has had a complex history with regards to race and the presidency. The first African American to hold the office of President was Barack Obama, who served two terms from 2009 to 2017. Obama's election was a historic moment in American history, as he was the first Black president in a country with a long history of racial inequality.

Prior to Obama, there were other Black candidates who ran for president, including Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to run for a major party's nomination in 1972, and Jesse Jackson, who ran for the Democratic nomination in 1984 and 1988.

Despite progress, race continues to be a significant issue in American politics, with ongoing debates and discussions about equality, representation, and the impact of systemic racism on the presidency and the country as a whole.