The U.S. Constitution made no room for a black president when it was written in 1787, Penn State professor Cary Fraser told an audience Monday.

"The original Constitution defined two classes of people in the United States. 'Citizens' were white, 'persons' were black," Fraser said.

It is ironic then that Barack Obama, a constitutional lawyer, will become the United States' first black president, Fraser said.

About 100 hundred people gathered to listen to a panel discussion about electing the country's first black president in 113 Information Sciences and Technology Building. The discussion was hosted by the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and featured Fraser and other Penn State faculty members whose different concentrations gave them insight into the impact of Obama's victory.

The panelists discussed everything from Obama's life and presidential campaign to what the future will bring for the historical president and the nation.

"I can't overstate how much I have been inspired by Barack Obama," said 65-year-old Sam Thompson, professor of law at the Penn State Dickinson School of Law.

"I have a 2-year-old son. I'm going to tell him how Obama climbed the mountain," Thompson said.

Terrell Jones, Penn State vice provost for educational equity, said young people, like the ones in the crowd, made this election different because of three characteristics.

He said more than any previous generation, young people love technology, believe in lifelong learning and are supportive of diversity.

"With you, as a group, race does matter less," he said.

Panelists did not hog the microphone. Audience members debated with the faculty members and with each other. Some wondered if affirmative action will disappear now that an African American has ascended to the presidency.

"I'm not willing yet to let go of affirmative action," said Stanford Strong, a student at the Dickinson School of Law, adding, "I'm a little concerned about us substituting racism for classism."

The discussion didn't always have such a serious tone.

The audience watched a video of Fox News anchor Shepard Smith questioning perennial presidential candidate Ralph Nader about a comment he made questioning if Obama would be an "Uncle Sam or an Uncle Tom."

Though the remark was controversial, Smith's bewildered reaction to it and Nader's attempt at defending himself got the crowd laughing.

Another light moment occurred when Jones mentioned one position that a black man has yet to hold. Jones said he has heard talk of a black James Bond one day appearing on the silver screen.

"There's no reason for it not to be," he said.

Some panelists and audience members agreed that outside factors made race less of an issue than it could have been in this election.

"After Bush, anything was possible," Jones said.

BGSA president and Dickinson Law School student Randall Cooper said ultimately, important issues like the economy trumped the racial issue.

"The question wasn't black or white. It was green," he said.