Four years ago on this date, November 4, 2008, Barack Obama was elected President of these United States.
I was here at home watching the returns here with my sister, Lindsey. It was an amazing evening.
I called my parents as soon as it was announced because I had to hear them witnessing this event they most definitely did not think they would see in their lifetime.
The election of a black man as President of the United States.
They both had tears in their voices. And my mom said she never thought she would see this day.
And I will say this...if the black man had been a Republican they would have been just as overcome. Because this heroic moment was not about party lines, but about possibly finally reaching Martin Luther King, Jr.'s promised land.
Though sadly, the state of this country today is most definitely not Martin Luther King, Jr.'s hope for our promised land.
And that is one of the biggest reasons I was so worried about having a little boy. For I would be having a little black boy. In this country. In this time of racial strife, still.
But for this one night, I was over the moon...
I was pregnant (I had taken 3 more digital tests this day reveling in the words 'PREGNANT' and we had a new President with new hope for our country.
Lindsey and I got on the phone that night at 10:10pm as soon as the official announcement was made that Barack Obama would indeed be inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. We were calling the airlines to get flights to Washington, DC to bear witness to his swearing in. We purchased four tickets that night...for the two of us and my parents. (The tickets were uber cheap too! I suppose the airlines hadn't had a chance yet to inflate their prices before we called!).
We were going to trek to DC...me, little Sunshine, Lindsey and my mom and dad!!
So tonight I'm thankful my parents were able to witness that moment in history four years ago. I hope it erased some of the pain of all the hardships, torment, hatred and downright ugliness of the Civil Rights Era of which they had to live through. I pray noone ever has to experience what they did along with millions of others. Ever. Least of all my beautiful, sweet, black son.
3 comments:
Your post sent chills down my spine. In a good and beautiful way.
Here's to four more years of being led by a black President!
I remember waiting outside in line to vote while being in my second trimester with Liam. I went to bed early that night but remember waking up to hear the words "President-elect Barack Obama" on the radio. That sent chills down my spine and was a day I'll never forget.
Love this post! I remember I was looking after my nephews while their parents were away enjoying their anniversary & waking up to the wonderful news...I remember sitting my nephew down, looking him straight in the eye & telling him that it was an historic day. I know how much that day moved me, a white girl from Canada. I can only imagine how it felt for those who have lived thru the Civil Rights Era
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