Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prophesized this day would come.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” King said to more than 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.
Forty-six years later (on January 20, 2009) that prophecy was fulfilled, as Barack Hussein Obama became the 44th president of the United States.
“This is the greatest day of my life,” said Leroy Rice, a 78-year-old Mississippi native who marched with King in the early ‘60s.
Rice was among a small crowd at Afroworld (7276 Natural Bridge Rd.) on Tuesday to witness American history in the making on an enormous flat-screen TV.
The crowd erupted in roars of approval as they watched Obama – with one hand upraised, the other hand on the Bible used to swear in Abraham Lincoln in 1861 – repeat the oath to become the 44th American president.
“I’m sitting here and watching and thinking about what my mom went through and the impact that it’s going to have on our lives,” said Stephanie Turner, 44, at Afroworld.
“And where we have to get to as a people. All of this is running through my mind as I’m listening to him.”
Rice said the swearing in of the nation’s first black president was more than a milestone but also a pivotal moment of inclusion.
“This is the beginning of how this country was supposed to be from day one,” Rice said. “It’s starting to come together now.”
When the clock struck noon in Washington, D.C., the crowd at Afroworld stood and applauded. Some waived their hands or their American flags while others shouted “Amen!” and “yes!” and snapped pictures of the TV screen. Even though Obama had not yet taken his oath, his presidency was official.
Orlando and Gail Sharpe, along with their 6-year-old son Sincere, took off work to witness this rare moment in history.
“We might not ever get to see this again,” Gail Sharpe said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
Orlando Sharpe said, “We can take off to go see a basketball game or the premiere of a movie. Why not today?”
The Sharpes had planned to go to Washington, D.C. but changed their plans and watched the inauguration at home in St. Louis.
“I really wish we were there,” Gail Sharpe said.
According to Mike Jones, executive assistant to County Executive Charlie Dooley, those who stayed home had at least as profound an experience of the events as those who traveled to Washington, as he did.
“Everybody in America and around the world participated in this moment,” Jones said.
“The people watching from home – particularly people who watched it in groups – had a better sense of the magnitude of the Mall than those of us who were there. We were like an amoebae, like part of a larger organism.”
Hard work ahead
Sheila Little-Forest, president of Afroworld, hosted Tuesday’s event. Afroworld has been a supporter of Obama – holding registration drives, watch parties and fundraisers at their shop – throughout much of his campaign.
After Obama’s speech, Afroworld staff served sandwiches, chips, juice and cake inscribed with “Yes, We Did” to celebrate.
“This is our first time we’ve been supportive of a political candidate, ever,” Little-Forest said. “And we’ve been in business for over 39 years.”
President Obama has a weighty job ahead of him, and he admitted it would take time to stop the job losses and other hardships.
In his speech Obama said, “Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.”
Obama’s speech fostered new hope in Americans, especially those affected by the declining economy.
Turner, whose eyes watered up during Obama’s swearing in, lost her job as a call manager about a year ago, when her health care company downsized.
“When he talked about the job market and no health care, I went through all of that this year with the unemployment and lack of health insurance,” Turner said. “All of that matters to me.”
Pamela Jarrett jumped out of her seat when she noticed Obama was officially president.
Jarrett, a childcare attendant, said she was elated at Obama’s election. She said his inauguration stands for the very thing so many slaves died for: freedom.
Jarrett, with an American flag pinned to her shirt, said her nation’s flag carries new meaning for her now.
“This is the land of the free, and I love the United States,” she said.
She wants her 1-year-old grandson, whom she held in her arms, to know that he can make it in this world as a black man.
“People came through a whole lot for them to achieve a whole lot,” she said.
Christina Carter, 14, elaborated on that sentiment.
Although Carter was too young to vote for Obama and admitted that she does not fully understand the importance of the historical event, she said she knows that she will tell her children about it one day.
“It’s hard to believe that when I get older this is going to be in history books,” said Carter, who attended the event at Afroworld with her aunt.
“I witnessed him, I saw it, I heard his speech. It was great.”
Her aunt, Cynthia Mitchell, described the moment as surreal. Her cheeks were still red and her eyes still watery from what she said is one of the most joyous events of her life.
She told her niece that there would never be another moment like this in history.
She said, “These are tears of happiness.”
