108-Year-Old Grandson Of A Slave Shares Touching Moment With Obama

Lester Townsend never thought he'd live to meet the first black U.S. president.
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A powerfully symbolic moment took place on June 1, when President Barack Obama came face-to-face with the 108-year-old grandson of a slave while traveling through Indiana.

As shown in a video recently released by The White House, Lester Townsend was taken to greet the president and the two reflected on the significance of the encounter.

"The grandson of a slave shaking hands with the president of the United States," Townsend said to Obama.

They met at the Concord Community High School in Elkhart, Indiana, where Obama made his first trip as president more than seven years ago. Townsend, who had never met a sitting president in his life, expressed his disbelief at meeting the first black president in the flesh.

"I never thought I’d live to see this," he said.

Watch the heartfelt moment in the video above.

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