"Barack the Magic Negro" is a song parody written and performed by Paul Shanklin. In the song, Shanklin impersonates Al Sharpton's voice, singing to the tune of Peter, Paul & Mary's "Puff, the Magic Dragon", depicting President Barack Obama as a "Magic Negro", a racists term coined during the Brown vs. Board of Education trial, used to describe a black person who "has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist."Los Angeles Times: Obama the 'Magic Negro' (March 19, 2007)

On January 27, 2009, Tennessee Republican chairman candidate Chip Saltsman went on MSNBC to speak with Contessa Brewer, who brought up the controversial incident involving the "Barack the Magic Negro" song from December. Saltsman still does not understand why everone is upset over the incident, which he considers to be political satire. He also said that if he does not win the chairman job, than the media can be blamed for all the negative press it has been giving him.MSNBC: Saltsman, Wait For It, Blames The Media (January 27, 2009)

Rush Limbaugh featured the song on his popular political radio show on March 19, 2007, referring to Barack Obama as a "Magic Negro" over 20 times and at one point singing the words of the song himself.

On December 31, 2008, Fox News aired a New Year's wish containing the offensive term "Magic Negro". The message, which ran along the bottom of the screen, read "Happy New Year and let's hope the Magic Negro does a good job." The message was submitted to Fox News by Jen and John C.YouTube: Fox News allows Magic Negro...

Tennessee Republican chairman candidate Chip Saltsman gave fellow RNC members the 41-track political satire CD We Hate the USA for Christmas in 2008. The CD includes the controversial Paul Shanklin song "Barack the Magic Negro". Saltman defended his choice of gifts saying that the RNC knows how to recognize light-hearted political satire.CNN: RNC chairman candidate defends... (December 26, 2008)