Obama, Clinton and Dr King's legacy
Updated on 21 January 2008
South Carolina is the first state where Afro-Americans are the majority of voters in the Democratic primary and Obama is leading in the polls.
Although Hillary Clinton has coasted to victory in the last two primaries, this week she faces a big challenge in South Carolina.
Last week a nasty spat broke out between the two candidates over race - with Senator Clinton accused of disparaging Dr Martin Luther King.
Today - a national holiday in honour of Dr King - both have been working hard to claim the mantle of his legacy.
Channel 4 News visits Charleston South Carolina - a community divided about where their loyalties should lie.
South Carolina is the first state with a significant black population to get its say in the Demnoctratic contest and they are excited about the first African American with a real chance to win but for many it not about race.
It's a generation thing.
Barrack Obama has tried to transcend racial poltics, but positioning himself as the heir to Martin Luther King, inside Reverend King's own church, has a powerful appeal.
The picturesque streets of Charleston were built with profits from the slave trade.
Owners could never have imagined that one day black voters here would have a chance to help a black candidate get to the White House.
But despite the history Barrack Obama can't take black votes for granted here.
If Obama can inspire voters in states like South Carolina to believe in a black presidency it could be the first step toward Democrats winning back the south, where whites deserted the party after Lyndon Johnson signed the civil rights act.
The Democtric candidates marched through South Carolina's state capital today in honour of Martin Luther King, each dreaming of achieving a historic presidential first.
In a state where race still dominates the debate, 40 years after Dr King was shot.
