Ray Watson, head of the Mount Hope Neighborhood Association in Providence, calls Barack Obama a motivating force. The Journal / Andrew Dickerman

Old guard civil-rights activists and younger African-Americans in Rhode Island yesterday exulted as Sen. Barack Obama moved toward a historic Democratic nomination of an African-American for president.

“I’m excited to see in my lifetime someone like Barack emerge, as he has done with such intellect and grace, and see how America is increasingly transcending race as an issue,” said longtime civil-rights activist Michael S. Van Leesten.

Van Leesten called Obama’s apparent nomination “a manifestation of how great America is, with all of its difficulties and challenges we’ve been able to witness in our generation a man of color emerging as a potential president of the United States, in a very serious way.”

He added, “My perspective, having dealt with things in the South — the water coolers and the separation of races and the ‘back of the bus’ and all the indignities and injustices that occurred, and seeing his candidacy come through all of that, says a lot about the American people.

“I’m just really thrilled, not because I’m a man of color, but because increasingly [of] how people are not judging people by the color of their skin.”

Ray Watson, executive director of the Mount Hope Neighborhood Association in Providence and president of the Rhode Island Young Professionals, called Obama’s apparent nomination “an excellent thing.” Obama, he said, is a motivating force.

“Part of the problem with politics — for my generation — we have a tendency not to get involved. We can’t relate. But particularly, as a black male, it’s always exciting to me when I see people of color reach for things that seem unattainable. For him to actually be nominated in my lifetime — I’ve never seen a person of color even give it this good a run,” said Watson.

“I tend to be a pretty civically engaged person, but this makes me want to be more involved,” said Watson. “If he did it, then chances are somebody else might be able to.”

Clifford R. Montiero, president of the Providence branch of the NAACP, said Obama’s success “is a culmination” of the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “and the hundreds of thousands of people who dedicated their lives to make the laws in America include all people. This nomination symbolizes all of that.”

Donald King, artistic director of the Black Repertory Company in Providence, was born five years after passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, as the country remained in turmoil.

“I’m extremely excited,” King said yesterday afternoon as delegates continued streaming for Obama. “I really think that Barack is a wonderful candidate, and is exactly what I think that this country needs at this particular time.” King said that is especially true given the negative manner “in which the Bush administration has really changed the way in which we are reflected in the world.”

Ann Clanton, program director for Rhode Island for Community and Justice, said she was speaking as a private citizen.

“I never thought I’d see this in my lifetime, and I am 42 years old,” said Clanton. “He’s brought a lot of people into the process — Democrat and Republican. I’m pleased that a lot of people of color have really paid attention to voting, and that their vote counts. I actually went to the Obama rally [in Providence] and was moved by the number of people of all ages and ethnicities.”

Noting the choice between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Obama, Clanton said, “As an African-American woman — I’m African-American first.”

Dennis Langley, executive director of the Urban League of Rhode Island, said, “I’m feeling that as a country, one is not judged by the pigmentation anymore, but is given the opportunity to prove we all can achieve. Also sending a clear message that if you go to school and you are successful, in achieving you’ll be embraced and you can climb the ladder of success in the United States.”

kziner@projo.com