[221]

Racial issues
See also: Race and ethnicity in the United States
In his speeches as president, Obama did not make more overt references to race relations than his predecessors,[222][223] but according to one study, he implemented stronger policy action on behalf of African-Americans than any president since the Nixon era.[224]
Following Obama's election, many pondered the existence of a "postracial America."[225][226] However, lingering racial tensions quickly became apparent,[225][227] and many African-Americans expressed outrage over what they saw as an intense racial animosity directed at Obama.[228] The acquittal of George Zimmerman following the killing of Trayvon Martin sparked national outrage, leading to Obama giving a speech in which he noted that "Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago."[229] The shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri sparked a wave of protests.[230] These and other events led to the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement, which campaigns against violence and systemic racism toward black people.[230] Though Obama entered office reluctant to talk about race, by 2014 he began openly discussing the disadvantages faced by many members of minority groups.