No black candidate has ever been tapped by either the Republican or Democratic parties. And many black delegates openly admitted to me this week that Obama's success had taken them by surprise.

"It is unreal. It is unbelievable to see what is happening," said Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, no stranger to the battles over Civil Rights during the 1950s and 60s.

(The photo at left shows Congressman Lewis seated on the left during a discussion this week with Neal Boortz. Jamie Dupree is seated next to Lewis with Royal Marshall standing in the background.)

Lewis went to his first convention in 1964, when the Democrats met in Atlantic City, as the focus was the effort by the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party delegation to be seated, instead of the regular state Democratic party.

As you might guess, the Freedom Democrats were all black, the state party, all white. The Freedom Democrats didn't win. But they did raise the issue on a national stage once more.

"As far as I'm concerned, this was the turning point of the civil rights movement. I'm absolutely convinced of that," Lewis wrote in his book "Walking With The Wind."

44 years later, John Lewis is at another Democratic Convention. This time, he will watch a much different result than in Atlantic City.

Lewis and I sat down for an interview earlier this week, as I asked him to reflect on the momentous occasion awaiting Barack Obama.

"For the first time in the history of America, an African-American will become the nominee of a major political party. If someone had told me a few short years ago that this would be happening, I would have said you are crazy," said Lewis.

Once or twice during our talk, in a hotel room looking out on downtown Denver, Lewis almost seemed at a loss for words as he tried to express his thoughts on the situation.

"I cannot believe it," Lewis stammered. "It, it, it is unreal. I don't quite know what is going to be my reaction."

Lewis told of how he was meeting with Obama recently in Washington, D.C., as they discussed the current state of the Presidential race.

"Do you remember a song, something like, "something's happening here?" Lewis asked him, quoting the late 1960's hit by Buffalo Springfield, that became an anthem for many in that time frame.

Making Obama's accomplishment all the more moving for Lewis and others in the black community, is that today is the 45th anniversary of the March On Washington.

"Some of the same people who will be voting in November, could not register to vote 45 years ago," Lewis said.

For Barack Obama, it is a day filled with history. But for many other blacks who toiled in the trenches for civil rights advances, it is a historic day for them as well.