Obama "Changed" the View of African-Americans?

It's been 219 years since slavery has been abolished in America. However, African-Americans are still looked at as low value in life, with no future, to many Americans of different races. This stereotype is mostly because of the percentage of drop-outs in schools that are African-American. Why is there such a high percentage of African-Americans dropping out of school? I think its because no one hardly gives or gave them a chance to prove that they are just as hard-working and motivated as any other race. They are sent to trashy schools where the teachers could care less if they learn or not, as long as they collect their paychecks. Most African-Americans don't hope to go to college or if so, they have to work harder than anyone else to do so. Why? Because they feel they will not be accepted or they just been through so much that they can't achieve their alternative goal to a good education. Now that Barack Obama is the first African-American to be elected as a president, people's views of African-Americans changed. They believe that Obama is a role model to African-Amercians and will make them work hard in school and also in life in general. But haven't we always been trying to work hard to get somewhere? I think so and I feel bad that others haven't seen our determination. Even though Obama has played a huge role for African-Americans, I don't think he is the only reason why we are working hard in life. I thank him for being such an inspirational person, but really African-Americans have always tried their best to accomplish things in their lives.