Ebony Names Obama Its First "Person Of The Year"

The latest issue of Ebony magazine, which hits newsstands next week, features the first post-election interview with President-elect Barack Obama and the magazine has marked the occassion by naming Obama its first "Person of the Year." As the Tribune's Swamp blog reports:

If the election of the first African-American president does not stand out as a landmark event in the history of a magazine founded for African-American readers in 1942 and now reaching 12 million readers, it's difficult to imagine what does.

"We won because the American people mobilized for change,'' Obama says in the interview that he gave to Ebony on Nov. 13, his first interview following election. "It really was people at a grassroots level who carried our campaign financially, who carried it organizationally, and we don't want that to dissipate.''

The interview, along with the magazine's naming of Obama as its first-ever Person of the Year, a look at how "Barack's Chicago'' helped shape the man and a look at "First Lady Style: Michelle Obama's Eclectic Taste'' all are featured in the January edition of Ebony, a designated collector's edition, that goes on sale a week from today, Dec. 9.

See Ebony's preview of the January issue.

The issue comes with two different cover, which you can check out below.

Comments

[NewCenturyWoman]

02:28 AM on 12/08/2008

Both magazine covers look about the same to me -- maybe one is lighter than the other. Otherwise, both covers are fine. Some comments posted earlier (down the thread) suggested that the letters in the magazine's nameplate, "EBONY" appear as horns on Mr. Obama's head. I disagree. I've seen covers of other magazines that feature him and none of them appear significantly better (In fact some distort the proportions of his face--Time magazine, for example). Another criticism posted on this blog suggests that our President-Elect would look better if he were smiling. Actually, he has a subtle smile on this cover, which seems more appropriate for his new job --President of the United States of America! Great job, Ebony. We have an intelligent, handsome President whom we can all now be proud of.

[IndyWriter]

01:51 AM on 12/05/2008

Indeed, this IS a Momentous Occasion! One more of Mr. President-Elect Obama's many Past AND Future Firsts. I worked for his Campaign, here in my Hometown, in my own way...discreetly, (i.e.: Bumper Sticker, Buttons, Internet Donation, etc.), and I'm **Glad** he Won! The entire World Rejoiced, upon his Election, and I with them!
I just wish the "EBONY"'s Cover Graphic Designer would've noticed that, in both Covers, the "..NY" of "EBONY" make it look as if Mr. Obama had Horns growing out of His head, (this is particularly salient in the Cover with the Red Letters. Throughout my Years, studying at my University, I used to be a Photographer/Writer, and finally A&E Editor, for our Newspaper.
Though Disabled now, and out of (paid) work nearly one-and-a-half Decades, even I can Still notice something so noticeable as THAT--surely, unintentional--but nonetheless, a Gaffe, and a big one, too. I can't accept it was intentional; so I must accept that a Professional simply didn't catch it, prior to publishing it!
Indeed, this WILL be a Collectors' Item! True, but for more reasons than what they bargained for...!
I've been Collecting Obama Memorabilia! Save me an Issue! The one with the Red Letters!!! ;-)

[IkeChicago]

02:27 PM on 12/04/2008

Call me blind, but I don't see the difference between the two covers

[FebM]

05:58 PM on 12/04/2008

A red or a gold behind his head....

[teepeeyoyo]

01:05 PM on 12/04/2008

Yeah the other cover is gold where the red is, basically gilded for collectors. Someone screwed up here.

[IzHePrezYet]

02:41 AM on 12/04/2008

Gorgeous... top to bottom, inside and out! Can we pick 'em or can we pick 'em?

[Alteris]

01:45 AM on 12/04/2008

As of this writing, there is absolutely no difference between the two pictures.

Method 1: The visual test
Save both images with different names and toggle between them manually. You'll notice no differences.

Method 2: The file test
If you are on computer with Unix-y like options, use the program diff ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diff ) to verify they are identical even at the file level:

$ diff original-1.jpg original-2.jpg

Somebody messed up.

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

01:56 AM on 12/04/2008

well there's a surprise

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

01:42 AM on 12/04/2008

obama has such a nice smile.....too bad they didn't capture that

[learnsomething]

11:07 PM on 12/03/2008

Intelligence, fineness, and power!....DAYUM!.....Michelle is a lucky girl!

[toocoldout]

10:18 AM on 12/04/2008

Now all he needs is money and he'll be the total package.

[NewCenturyWoman]

02:39 AM on 12/08/2008

Toocoldout, Mr. Obama has money--millions to be more precise (which he earned from writing his two books). Nevetheless, I don't think the total package should be important to anyone other than Michelle. For me, I just like witnessing the brains, charisma, and power in action -- Eye candy, indeed.

[learnsomething]

11:03 PM on 12/03/2008

Wow...look at my president. Looking all presidential and FINE!

[thefooligan5]

10:27 PM on 12/03/2008

What is the difference between those two 'different' covers?

[thefooligan5]

10:25 PM on 12/03/2008

Ebony missed a great opportunity for a laugh here ...

Ted Stevens: Person of the year.

[pthesmith]

07:55 PM on 12/03/2008

the photos are different. the top one is darker in the face. I think they deliberately removed part of the Y to make it look as if he has horns, and then made him look sinister by darkening the photo. Notice his head falls EXACTLY in the center. Part of the N is missing too.

[robXdion]

08:57 PM on 12/03/2008

You're right. The left tip of the Y and the right tip of the N should be visible. They should have just moved him off center to the right or just done a different pic altogether.

[utzworld]

06:09 PM on 12/03/2008

Some of these comments are downright embarassing...and reek of sore loser GOP-ites. Get a grip or move to Canada!

[Mekarri]

08:22 AM on 12/04/2008

I don't think Canada wants the loser from the GOP.

[johnnyjust]

04:53 PM on 12/03/2008

That's meaningful.

[LovingHope]

02:12 PM on 12/03/2008

My president is gorgeous! I'm so proud of him. Michelle is a lucky woman.

[toocoldout]

02:23 PM on 12/03/2008

Proud of what? He's not person of the year yet. Ebony doesn't count. Time magazine still hasn't made their final decision.

[honeydiva]

02:42 PM on 12/03/2008

Time is the bomb in your world. He the person of the year in Ebony and that counts to a lot of other folks in their world.

[chasmader]

03:04 PM on 12/03/2008

I think it's it's wonderful Ebony made Barack Obama their first person of the year. I don't see where Time enters into this equation.

[Eyewideopen]

04:03 PM on 12/03/2008

Barack is a lucky guy.