U.S. President Barack Obama waves as he arrives at the Arlanda Airport in Stockholm, Sweden, on September 4, 2013. NDERS WIKLUND/AFP/Getty Images Story highlights ...

It is easy to forget that just 45 years before Barack Obama's inauguration, racial segregation was a way of life and violence against non-whites was endemic in some regions.

The headline from one Swedish newspaper summed up the days to come for President Barack Obama: “Obama in the Shadow of War.” During a fast-paced three-day overseas trip that includes visits to ...