African heritage and an American dream

Reporting from Chicago — Barack Obama is often viewed as a singular sensation: a disaffected teen with no family wealth or connections who went on to become president of the Harvard Law Review, a U.S. senator and the first black president of the United States.

But if the president-elect is in many ways unique, he's also part of a broader phenomenon.

Immigrants from Africa, who claim the son of a Harvard-educated Kenyan father and a white American mother as one of their own, are starting to draw attention, both for their strong presence at elite colleges -- where 13% of black students are first- or second-generation African immigrants -- and for the rise of high-profile individuals.

There's the Senegalese American rapper Akon and Nomvuyo Mzamane, the South African-born educator who made headlines when she was chosen to lead Oprah Winfrey's African girls school and again when she sued the talk show host over her dismissal.

Liberian-born fashion designer Korto Momolu, who was a "Project Runway" runner-up and was voted the fan favorite, celebrated her heritage with gowns melding visual inspirations from Africa and Arkansas.

"I definitely think that we're having an impact," said Chioma Achebe, a Nigerian American from Evanston, Ill., who is president of the Harvard African Students Assn.

"The fact that a lot of us were brought up with these different strands of African culture woven into our experience, I think, makes us care a lot more about what's going on there," she said, pointing to new initiatives at her school, including a fundraiser for clean water in African villages.

"And I think as time goes on we'll be even more of an influential group."

There are about 880,000 African immigrants residing in the U.S., and they are a highly educated group, with census figures showing that they are more likely to have a college degree (43.8%) than Asian Americans (42.5%) and the U.S. population as a whole (23.1%).

First- and second-generation African immigrants are quick to point out that Obama represents many experiences, not just their own.

Still, many find the stories of Obama and his father familiar. The elder Obama came to the U.S. for college in Hawaii, left with a doctorate degree from Harvard and wanted his American son to achieve academically.