Making it to DC
Before leaving my motel for DC., I met Marguerite Dupont Gamble, who traveled all the way from Florida to witness Obama’s swearing in. Ms. Gamble is a long-time member of Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) established in the late 1950s.
Here Gamble talks about the significance of Obama’s election 40 years after King’s death and his inauguration the day after Dr. King’s National celebration.
The Red Line worked like a charm:
Took less than 20 minutes to get into DC. I plan to walk from Judiciary Square to the White House and talk to folks along the way. My first stop was at the Firehook Bakery where Melvin, the owner and a native of the Washington area, talked about the inauguration, his expectations for robust business and Obama’s potential.
On my way to the White House, I met these two young ladies from England. In this video, they explain why they traveled thousands of miles to the United States:
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Sylvester Brown, Jr. often refers to himself as the "accidental columnist." He enrolled in college almost 25 years ago to pursue a career as a cartoonist. He ended up starting an award-winning newspaper and falling in love with journalism. Today, as a writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the "accidental columnist's" love affair continues. 
Hey Sylvester:
I’m a St. Louis man and enjoy your columns. I thought I would follow your blog since I decided not to go to D.C. for the inaugration. I hope you are having a great time. I lived in D.C., actually Silver Springs, for 12 years, and it is my home away from home.
One of your latest columns disturbed me. You said this was to be your first visit to D.C.?!!!. Were you joking? How can a learned journalist like yourself, clearly older than 20 years old, never been to D.C.? You need to make plans to return after this whole inaugration business is over. You don’t know what you have been missing. I will personally show you around. We can even stay in the same cheap hotel you are probably in now, off of 13st near Georgia Ave!
Finally, I really liked your recent column on helping out young men in urban St.Louis..it is cut from the “fierce urgency on now”. Some good ideas in that.
Have fun in D.C. but be prepared to walk back to your motel after the inaugration. One of the most terrifying moments I had was being with my wife on the D.C. mall on July 4 (1980s) after the Beach Boys played at the Washington Monument. We tried to get home on both subway and bus and it was impossible. Terrible shoving and people getting thrown off buses, etc.. I expect these folks should be nicer!
Sly, With all of these people heading to DC, do you think that the crime rate in STL will drop. And in the same light, the crime rate in DC will certainly rise with all of the out-of-towners milling around, being easy prey. N’est pas?
I just have one question and I mean absolutely no disrespect as I ask it. Can someone please explain to me why the term Africn-American became the politaclly correct term? I don’t get it. After all, aren’t we all Americans, striving for the same things. I understand being proud of one’s heritage as I’m a first generation Irish-American but nowhere am I identified by my heritage. I’m only identified as white.
I think this conversation about race is good but I racism runs both ways. While I have many black friends, in some “black” circles, I’m not welcomed because I’m white.
I hope that Obama, our first bi-racial president can help bring all Americans together.
An exciting day. A historical day. A proud day.
As an American I am proud to see any non-white succeed in the capacity Obama has. As a white American I am still equally as proud. Sometimes I get the feeling other countries (and even some people in this country) view the U.S. as a country where old white guys run everything. So in every way, this is a great day.
I do have a question however and I hope this comes out right. Why is he referred to as black or African-American? I know the obvious, he has the skin tone, but he’s not just black or just white or just anything except a great American. Now obviously I’m white (German/Irish by heritage, but simply consider myself American) and there are other Americans that are black and have African heritage. And that’s all good, if someone of a certain heritage wants to refer to that as their race it’s ok by me. So back to my question… why is Obama simply considered black. If anyone is African-American he truly is, but I would not say he is black.
My two cents anyhow, maybe i’m just ignorant. None of this was meant to instigate any arguments, it was just my own curiosity.