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1
The day had special meaning for me because I woke up that Tuesday morning praying and in the Black
Church tradition as I reflected on the journey of my ancestors to that moment in history, I began with the
familiar words of a hymn---“God of our weary years, God of our silent tears”. Consequently, when Rev. Joseph
Lowery, who inspired me to participate in my first civil rights march in college, began his benediction with
those words, I shouted and did a holy step. As he continued his prayer, I shouted more and did a Langston
Hughes’ “I too am America” dance. Then I joined the “mosaic of colors, faiths and creeds” gathered on that
cold winter morning to shout “Amen! Amen! Amen!” All the pain from the past is not removed but I could once
again feel proud to be an American because the citizens of this country elected Barack Obama president. As
President Obama stated in his inaugural address, many challenges still lie ahead and as the old folks used to say,
“We are not what we want to be, but thank God we are not what we used to be.”