Obama at Howard Univ. commencement: 'Yes we can'

President Obama, passionate and optimistic, gave the commencement speech at Howard University on Saturday, the first of three he's giving to grads this season, and his last at an Historical Black College and University (HBCU) while in the White House.

Obama, who received an honorary doctor of science degree for his work in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), covered a range of topics, from race to income inequality to social justice.

"Blackness, he said, had "no litmus test for authenticity," which CBS News points out was a response to critics who have questioned whether he was "too black" or "not black enough."

"Create your own style, set your own standard of beauty, embrace your own sexuality. Because you're a black person -- doing whatever it is that you're doing -- that makes it a black thing!"

"Or, as my daughters tell me all the time: 'You be you, Daddy.'"

This story originally appeared on the Paste BN College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.