From Selma To Washington

The Earth Shifted Under Our Feet

2009-01-22T19:19:00.000-08:00

I have encountered a lot of taxi drivers during my visit to our nation’s capital. Most were foreign born and I embarked on an informal survey to determine their feelings about President Obama. I can report that the support for his presidency is overwhelming. They hailed from India, the Virgin Islands, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. They are all praying for a successful Obama presidency and they expressed that this sentiment is felt worldwide.

I went to Capitol Hill to visit with Hill staffers about local issues and the economic stimulus package. The platform for the inauguration was still in place. Throngs of tourists were taking pictures of the area. And Obama shirts were being worn everywhere. Even when I went to the Environmental Protection Agency for a meeting, some staffers were wearing shirts with pictures of our new President. We scanned the building to see if his picture had replaced that of the previous president to no avail. I guess that will happen before the end of this week. The vendors however were still experiencing brisk sales as shoppers were eagerly seeking inaugural bargains or souvenirs to take home. The town is still brimming with excitement and people.

Senator Diane Feinstein, chairman of the Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies announced an investigation regarding ticketholders being unable to attend the Inaugural ceremony. Something went terribly wrong, but the event was free of incidents. This speaks volumes about the people in attendance especially because Washington saw the largest crowds in the history of any event. Local airports were besieged when people attempted to depart for home forcing many to miss their flights. Again there were no incidents or arrests. The attendees deserve a big pat on the back.

Taylor and I also went to the White House today to snap pictures. When she was younger I told her that every American should know the address of the White House. She proudly recited it to me before I photographed her in front of the new home of the Obamas. Yes, the earth has shifted under our feet.

Inauguration Day: Yes We Can

2009-01-21T08:54:00.000-08:00

We arose at 5:00 am to prepare for our journey to Capitol Hill to witness history. Our car arrived to pick up us and he was able to get us within few blocks of the Capitol. As we walked toward the Capitol we could see the throngs of people walking with us, as well as those that had already lined up. We were part of the elite group that had received tickets from our congressperson to view the Inauguration. With our purple tickets in hand, we found the entrance for the purple line. Again there was a massive crowd of people that began to swell by the moment. Very soon we were immersed in a sea of people from throughout the United States. As the time ticked away, there was no movement. A man standing next to me had served at Maxwell AFB and was currently assigned to the Pentagon. He said that he had been in line since 5:00 am and had only moved 200 feet . It was approaching 10:30 am and I grew concerned that we would be in the crowds, but unable to view the Inauguration because of the lack of movement. So at 11:00 am we left the crowd, and hailed a cab to Connecticut and L to attend the viewing party at the offices of Bradley Arant, an Alabama based law firm.
While there, we were joined by the bus riders from Montgomery. I knew then that we had made the right choice to leave. This way we were sharing our experience with our neighborhoods and friends. I began to shed tears upon seeing the introduction of the previous presidents. Bracing for the actual transition of power to Barack Obama, I could see tears fall from the eyes of others that were in the room. I thought of our historic strides. I thought of my daughters future. I also thought about the people in Lowndes County t hat still have raw sewage running on top of the ground. As Barack Obama became our 44th President, applause broke out. And the roar across the mall was phenomenal. Never have there been such an interest in an inauguration. And never has a President had to shoulder such massive responsibilities. But as those flags were waving on the mall, and in the offices of Bradley Arant, I think we all believed, yes we can.

Morado: In Other Words Purple

2009-01-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

This is the fifteen year old Taylor here. On January 20, 2009, one of the biggest ceremonies in history took place, the inauguration for Barack Obama. As I was awaken at 5 A.M. I was not that excited about this event and the weather did not help to make this feeling change. After my mom and I were ready, we made our way through traffic and anxious people who all wanted to see the same thing. We were given tickets to this event by Senator Jeff Sessions. My mother and I, along with others were given colored tickets which notified you of your place to sit or for some, where you would stand. After looking at our ticket we began to make our way to the purple section with many others. While waiting there, a group of women were singing songs that reminded me of old Negro spirituals like “Lean on Me.” Hours passed, the songs died out, and toasty toes were no longer working. For some reason the line for purple was still not moving. Looking for some inspiration for me to try and stick it out in the cold, I quickly pulled out my iPod and listened to “My President is Black” by Young Jeezy. After the song was over I could tell people were beginning to get tired of being in this line but the thought of Barack Obama’s victory kept most at peace. Unfortunately my feet did not get the memo so we quickly left the line in hope of making it to a television to be able to see inauguration…which we did! At the Bradley Arant office people talked, ate, and cried as we all experienced that moving moment when Barack accepted his duties as the President of the United States. Soon after this they announced on the news that there were complications with the purple line. Twenty thousand people were not able to get into the ceremony and missed the whole thing to waiting in line. I guess we can thank my feet for telling us something was up with purple!

Dr. King Would Be Smiling

2009-01-19T19:08:00.000-08:00

Today I went to Capitol Hill to pick up tickets from the office of Senator Jeff Sessions. The lines were very long extending from each door onto the street. I stood between a black couple from Orlando and a Hispanic couple from Waycross, Georgia. We each shared our jubilation about being Americans at this time in history. Later, I walked to the capitol to view the site where the swearing in ceremony would take place. People from all across the globe were taking pictures. Television crews were pulling people to the side and interviewing them.

Later, I rode down Pennsylvania Avenue with Lowndes County Commissioner Charlie King to see the viewing stands for the parade. The crowds were growing by the hour. A man stood on a street corner holding a sign which stated "MLK would be smiling today." At the Mall area near the Washington Monument we decided to walk. Commissioner King reflected on the role of Lowndes County in the Voting Rights Movement and our sense of purpose for being here to witness the results of that struggle unfolding.

Faya Rose Sanders, founder of the National Voting Rights Museum and I spoke briefly. She mentioned that her children were preparing to attend the coveted MTV Ball. Mary Waters, a native of Greenville, former Floor Leader of the Michigan legislature, and a recent Congressional candidate expressed her excitement about being here. Ninevah Rudolph Lowery, the great granddaughter of Rosie Steele, is here with her two children. Rosie Steele provided one of the campsites in Lowndes County for participants in the voting rights march. Her grandmother, Gardenia White was the lead plaintiff in the landmark civil rights case, White v. Crook, which ruled that Alabama could not exclude blacks or women from serving on juries. I asked Ninevah how she felt about being here. Her response was, “Although I do not have tickets to the swearing in ceremony, I want to be here to breathe the air with my children as Barack Obama takes the oath of office as President of the United States.” Dr. King would be smiling.

2009-01-19T15:23:00.000-08:00

The Flight to Washington
The check in at the airport in Birmingham was fairly easy. We went through security with no problem. A gentleman that appeared to be of Armenian descent was behind us as we walked through. He received extra scrutiny. At the gate, two TSA agents appeared and asked to see the ID of each passenger again before we boarded the plane en route to Charlotte. The plane took off and landed without incident and our Armenian friend was onboard.

From Charlotte we flew to Charleston, West Virginia. There we waited for a flight to Washington Reagan. While awaiting our flight, a young woman sat next to us. She appeared to have a cold because her eyes were red and puffy. When we boarded the plane, she sat in the aisle across from us. During the flight I noticed that she was rocking back and forth, rubbing beads and reciting something aloud as she looked at a book that was clearly written in Arabic. I reached across and touched her arm, asking if she was alright. Tears flowed from her eyes dropping onto my hand and arm as she leaned toward me. The young lady was from Syria. Her mother had passed away suddenly the day before. She was trying to get there before her funeral. I told her that I understood her grief because I too lost my mother and I still cry for her. I told her that I would remember her in my prayers. She said thank you and appeared calm for the remainder of the trip.

What does this have to do with Obama’s inauguration? I hope that we are entering an era where people are no longer stereotyped as terrorists just because of their appearance. Shortly after 911 I was stopped three times at an airport because I fit a certain profile. I am not Arabic or a Muslim. I am a US citizen that was born and raised in Alabama. The young woman from Syria was a Muslim living in the United States whose grieving could have easily been mistaken for something else by someone looking at her through stereotypical eyes. Obama’s presidency could help us begin to see people as human beings first instead of enemies.

Eyes On The Prize

2009-01-17T22:49:00.000-08:00

It is 12:50 am on January 18, 2009. I am packing for my trip to DC. Charlie King, Chairman of the Lowndes County Commission, has already arrived and called to tell me to prepare for the cold weather. Despite the plunging temperatures and the anticipated crowds, persons from all along the Selma to Montgomery March Trail are making the historic trek to Washington, DC to witness one of the many prizes of the Voting Rights Movement. For many people, this will be the ultimate life experience. For others, it is just another milestone in the struggle for equality. For my 15 year old daughter "Taylor" and me, it is an opportunity to see America at one of its greatest moments. Taylor was a student at St. Jude, which was the final campsite for marchers during the historic Voting Rights March. I am a native of Lowndes County, Alabama which challenged the Democratic Party by forming the original Black Panther Party and running a slate of candidates in 1966. The Inauguration of Barack Obama brings history full circle. We will be there to witness this moment, as well as document the thoughts of those local persons from Selma, Lowndes, and Montgomery whose sacrificed to foster this great achievement. Barack Obama will be the 44rd President of the United States of America.