Rich Lowry

There are few, if any, people who have more moral authority in the black community than President Barack Obama. A few weeks ago, he put it to good use.

The president launched the “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative, aimed at fostering achievement among minority young men. He gathered black and Latino teenagers in the East Room of the White House to exhort them in a highly personal speech.

He recounted visiting a program in Chicago for promising kids who have gotten into some trouble. They sat in a circle and shared their stories. “I explained to them,” the president said, “that when I was their a...