l　war　and　civil　disobedience　and　always　at　great　risk　…　to　narrow　that　gap　between　the　promise　of　our　ideals　and　the　reality　of　their　time。

This　was　one　of　the　tasks　we　set　forth　at　the　beginning　of　this　campaign　…　to　continue　the　long　march　of　those　who　came　before　us；　a　march　for　a　more　just；　more　equal；　more　free；　more　caring　and　more　prosperous　America。　I　chose　to　run　for　the　presidency　at　this　moment　in　history　because　I　believe　deeply　that　we　cannot　solve　the　challenges　of　our　time　unless　we　solve　them　together　…　unless　we　perfect　our　union　by　understanding　that　we　may　have　different　stories；　but　we　hold　mon　hopes；　that　we　may　not　look　the　same　and　we　may　not　have　e　from　the　same　place；　but　we　all　want　to　move　in　the　same　direction　…　towards　a　better　future　for　our　children　and　our　grandchildren。

This　belief　es　from　my　unyielding　faith　in　the　decency　and　generosity　of　the　American　people。　But　it　also　es　from　my　own　American　story。

I　am　the　son　of　a　black　man　from　Kenya　and　a　white　woman　from　Kansas。　I　was　raised　with　the　help　of　a　white　grandfather　who　survived　a　Depression　to　serve　in　Patton's　Army　during　World　War　II　and　a　white　grandmother　who　worked　on　a　bomber　assembly　line　at　Fort　Leavenworth　while　he　was　overseas。　I've　gone　to　some　of　the　best　schools　in　America　and　lived　in　one　of　the　world's　poorest　nations。　I　am　married　to　a　black　American　who　carries　within　her　the　blood　of　slaves　and　slaveowners　…　an　inheritance　we　pass　on　to　our　two　pre