Much of the perspective provided during the campaign and reactions to the election of Barack Obama have been framed by the legacy of America's long history of blacks, whites, racism, oppression and the struggle to realize civil rights.

Relative to examinations of African American and Latino voters, Asian Americans have been overlooked. However, given that both Senators John McCain and Barack Obama have ties to Asian communities and the increasing influence of the Asian American vote, more attention is being paid. Christopher Beam in Slate examines the history of invisibility, some of the new investigations and points to the likely increased influence of Asian American voters in the future: