The reverend Lowery's benediction was awful. No matter what ,this guy is always going to blame whitey.
As she watched the inauguration, Carol Bland, 51, recalled sitting in the back of buses and drinking from "colored" water fountains.
She gathered at her daughter's home in Hephzibah with three generations of her family, at one point crying.
Her grandson, 5-year-old Charles "Tre" Hunt III, has been wearing an Obama T-shirt he got for Christmas frequently -- even sleeping in it.
Family members shared their hopes as they watched. Janet Gault-Hunt -- Ms. Bland's daughter and Tre's mother -- likened listening to President Obama to hearing the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
"His voice just sends chills," said Mrs. Gault-Hunt, 31.
Her husband, Charles Hunt, said Mr. Obama's election gave new hopes and dreams to black Americans.
"That gives your children something they can reach for, other than sports," he said.
Ms. Bland remembered watching Dr. King give his I Have a Dream speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. She brought out champagne after Mr. Obama was sworn in.
"Life had purpose before, but has even more purpose now," Ms. Bland said.
-- Greg Gelpi, staff writer
As the president-elect emerged onto the Capitol platform, barber Michael Allen remarked on his solemn face and gleaming eyes.
"It looks like he's been crying," Mr. Allen said. "He knows he's got a tough job ahead of him."
Mr. Allen watched the inauguration with a customer and two other barbers at Zion's Barbershop and Shoe Shine Parlor on James Brown Boulevard.
The four men rarely took their eyes off the 42-inch flat screen.
Owner Travis Suber clapped after Mr. Obama was sworn in. He said he remains in a state of disbelief.
"It's a surprise," he said. "It's still a surprise."
-- Stephanie Toone, staff writer
The Rev. Bobby Hankerson celebrated the inauguration with his congregation at Hammond Grove Baptist Church.
The North Augusta church projected newscasts onto a big screen in the sanctuary. Two dozen people gathered and prayed for the new president.
"This is a new thing because it's a new beginning," the Rev. Hankerson said. "The church is all about new births, new beginnings."
Brenda Adams, a visitor to the church, saw God's hand in the events.
"It's no coincidence this is happening 40 years exactly after Martin Luther King's dream. You read your Bible and see God does things in 40-year intervals," the Evans woman said.
Church secretary Natassia Peart and her husband, Kareem, brought their family.
"We realize this probably won't ever happen again," he said. "It's one of those moments you don't get back, like childbirth."
-- Kelly Jasper, staff writer
A hospital waiting room wasn't her first choice to watch a historic event, but Janet Reaves-Jackson smiled as she sat in the Outpatient Center at University Hospital, waiting for her father to return from tests. Though she had other plans, "this takes precedence over everything," she said.
"Actually, I'm where I want to be," she said.
Mrs. Reaves-Jackson held the hand of her 15-month-old daughter, Kendall, while text messages from friends and relatives in Washington, D.C., came in on her phone, telling her they had bumped into people they hadn't seen in 30 years: "It's like a family atmosphere."
Down the hall in another room, Virginia and Norman Smith sat beneath a blaring television, their faces lined with worry as they awaited another test on their son, Murray. The 19-year-old pitcher and third baseman for the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie has been suffering from unexplained fatigue and was referred to a specialist. Mrs. Smith brightens when she talks about what is happening.
"I'm looking forward to us doing a big turnaround," she said. "I hope this is what it takes."
Back down the hall, nurse assistant Jean Frank talked about how she is praying for Mr. Obama while her patient, Janet Fountain, sat next to her. Mrs. Fountain, 84, turned and looked up at her new president on the television.
"I wish you well, young man," she said quietly.
-- Tom Corwin, staff writer
More than 20 supporters and members of Dream Builders of America's Youth Inc. gathered at Bill and Tanya Jeffords' home in North Augusta to celebrate with a champagne brunch.
Rotha Robinson, Mrs. Jeffords' 104-year-old grandmother, quietly watched the festivities.
The group chuckled when Mr. Obama stumbled over his oath, and they cheered when he finished.
Mrs. Jeffords had never celebrated an inauguration but wanted the children of Dream Builders to remember where they were when this inauguration took place.
-- Lisa Kaylor, staff writer
Greenbrier High School students chewed quickly or skipped lunch to give themselves more time to witness the inauguration.
School officials set up a screen in the auditorium across the hall from the lunchroom to give students the opportunity to watch at least part of the event.
Kadarius Bussey, 17, was more than willing to miss lunch.
"As a young black man, it's like the day Martin Luther King gave his I Have a Dream speech," the Greenbrier junior said.
Just as Dr. King was a role model to millions of blacks in the 1960s, Barack Obama is important to millions today, he said.
Krista Haffa, 16, supported John McCain during the election but said she can still appreciate the significance of the moment.
"It was just a great historical event that I didn't want to miss," she said.
-- Donnie Fetter, staff writer
Capt. Timothy Chavis, 29, and other soldiers arrived early for lunch at Fort Gordon's Gordon Club to get a seat near the big-screen television, where they watched their new commander-in-chief being sworn in.
Capt. Claudia Daniel, Capt. Brittiane Staton, Capt. Jermaine Clare, Capt. Brian Beam, 1st Lt. Patrick Penn and Capt. Jonathan MacDonald also arrived in time to get a front table. They said they came to the Gordon Club just to see the inauguration. Most of the proceedings were quiet, but after the president was sworn in there was a loud cheer.
-- Charmain Brackett, correspondent
A technological snag kept Tracy Maroney's eighth-graders at North Augusta Middle School from seeing President Obama sworn in.
The South Carolina history class was supposed to watch on a SMARTboard, a device that projects a computer screen onto an interactive white board, but a logjam on the Web sites that offered a live feed delayed the streaming video for 10 minutes.
"It's time for us to put away childish things" was the first they heard from the speech.
Mrs. Maroney used the event as an introduction to civil rights topics.
-- Julia Sellers, staff writer
Comments
The reverend Lowery's benediction was awful. No matter what ,this guy is always going to blame whitey.
In the first story, Carol Bland says she's had to sit in the back of busses and drink from "colored" water fountains??? Where was she? I'm close to her age and I've NEVER seen anything like that around here, even when I was 5 years old. As far as sitting in the back of the bus, I'm thinking she must've just went on back there where all her friends were on the school bus...so that doesn't count. Unless this lady was from the deepest parts of the south, where they don't get news and they don't have law, I'm having a hard time believing this one. And sctex, I'll have to agree with you on Lowery. When he said something like "...and let those who are white, make it right!", I just shook my head.
DICKWORTH 1 don'[t worry about the cost of an inauguration...republicans get the same....I am concerned about how many millions the 'Republicans on "The Hill'spent trying to unseat President Clinton. They spent the entire four years of his first term trying to unseat him...when they should have been doing their job. See where the Republicans have ended up don'tyou...on the trash heap!
Augusta, lets all get behind this promising new President....all of your veil racists statements get you no where...
Doesn't that deep seeded not so well hidden bitterness leave a bad taste in your mouth? Why are you all so critical of everyone and everything associated with Obama. Why would this woman lie? And there were a lot of Americans who wanted to be there and see the inaugaration firsthand, they were accommodating them. Don't be babies about it, he's all our President. Respect him the same way non Bush supporters did when he was still in office. The man just became President yesterday, give him a chance to get a good nights sleep before you bad mouth him for not changing anything.
pantherluvcik what do you mean by non Bush supporters respecting him? The hate mongering liberal democrat party showed GW no respect. Even after he kept us safe for 7 years after 9/11.
Yes, {I am white} I well rememember "colored" sitting in the back of the bus, couldn't go to our movie theaters, restrooms, schools, the beach, the list goes on.
we thought nohthing of it. It was a way of life that existed before we were born...we just thought that was the way things were. I graduated from High School in Ft. Lauderdale Florida in 1957...we had yet to intergrate at that time.
Graduated in June. Come October I was in Air Force Boot camp...and Intergrated boot camp...we had no Black problems...simply because we were never taught to hate anyone.... too, our US Military had recently intergrated.......
MtnMan, I believe the military actually began its integration policy in 1949. As to Obama: Before anyone shoot me, let me say that I am eager to see the "change" our new psresident will bring, I wish him the best. And, no, I did not vote for him. Having stated the above, I write to make mention of Obama's first error (an historical fact) in his address to the nation following his oath office, Obama said, "Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath." He was speaking of the number of Americans that had taken the oath, not the number of times the oath had been administered. Sorry, only 43 Americans have taken this oath. Grover Cleveland was elected twice, he was the 22nd and the 24th President; the same American each time. LOL! GGpap
GGpap Pickie pickie ! Gosh! you certainly look for the speck of sand in the other man's eye...I said the military had recently ntergrated...so? I think eight years off the exact time is ok....your bit of trivia ddoesn't amount to a "hill of beans"...24th 37th or what ever WHATEVER!!
MtnMan, simply trying to make an historical point, sir; not trying to pick out "specks in the sand." Sorry if you're so easily offended. GGpap
I am glad I am "Right" per the Rev Lowery...
sctex: The Lowery benediction was perfect and in no way blaming "whitey"; stop looking at things in black and white and accept things for what they were...If youknew anything about Rev. Lowery you wouldn't make such an idiotic and jaundiced observation.
GGpap: You're right I caught that as well... That's why I know he wrote that speech himself, if a staffer or someone versed in such a minute historical fact would have wrote it they wouldn't have made that mistake... Grover was the 22nd and 24th president, and the only president to be elected twice but not in consecutive terms...
The Lowery speach was an embarassment to the country and to the new Pres...More to come believe me.....
"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin the work of remaking America"
"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin the work of remaking America"
Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin the work of remaking America"
Despite all this "I remember sitting on the back of the bus stuff", just look at where we have come to in just two generations! The greatest glass ceiling for African Americans has just tumbled down. A new African American role model has emerged. Racial politics have been re-written. The whole dialogue has changed.
I am a northern born female 59 years old, whose parents were from the Augusta area. I remember driving to Augusta, for a vacation, in the 50's carrying toilet paper in our NEW Caddy because we cound not use facilities along Rte 301. My father went to back doors of restaurants(COLORED) to buy us food. For my 8th or 9th birthday, my Aunt took me to a store on Broad St. and bought me a dress, which I could NOT try on in the store. On another trip on the train to Augusat with my Grandfather, we had to change cars at the Mason-Dixon line(Jim Crow car) to travel into Augusta and Carol Bland experiences are being questioned? It is easy for me to remember these experiences, because the prejudices in the North were much more obscure.
If one is going to reminisce about "colored only" designations, the great, illustrious Northern States had more than a fair share of them--it was not confined to the "deep South" by any means. As a matter of fact, many southern communities were already doing positive things to integrate the races before the 1954 Supreme Court ruling (and, yes, the die-hard racist will attack that statement, but it is the truth); it was not being done in New York, Illinois, New Jersey, etc. Now that Obama has been sworn in, it seems everyone expects a miraculous change of attitudes, role models, and so on--yet expect only one race to "make it right." It takes the efforts of everyone to make a change; is EVERYONE ready to tackle the task at hand? This means, of course, to set aside bigotry and racism--and some will not want to do this because it reduces their reason for living.
Your are right mable..some of the most vicious racist are from the Northern states....but that is all over now..all the young black men who are nothing but a pimple on the backside of this country will now become fine upstanding men.. because barry said so...stand up and dust themselves off and begin the remaking of America...right?? And all the baby mamas who started at 12 will now quit having kids and go to school and become model citizens...oh yeah !! Its a new day in this country.....what a hoot !!! Oh and I forgot...no more black on black crime..cause barry said soooooooooo
It seems that all the rest of the world is elated about what transpired on yesterday...except for those of us right here in Augusta. That speaks volumes about our community.
GSneed: I will reserve my right to be "elated about what transpired yesterday" to when I see positive results--just as I have done when other administrations took over. In particular, I am looking to see a reduction in racist attitudes on both sides of the fence as well as a reduction in crime. Up to this point, Obama has shown me nothing other than the fact he can make a good speech based on rhetoric...now we will see if he can put his money where his mouth is. I judge him as a man, a human being, can you do any less?
I still don't understand how electing our first African American President will change the mindset of a race who feels like they are still in bondage. It's great and a historical event but nothing is going to change unless it comes within an individual. We have many famous black doctors, lawyers, professors, actors, actresses, and even senators, so why is it that when a black mother or father tells their young child he/she can be anything they want to be, they have more hope today than they did last week of it coming true. They are placing their hope in the wrong place.
InChristLove, it is very crucial that African American parents continue to help keep their children dreams alive by instilling in their children that they can too suceed. It is also equally important that Whites communicate the same message to their children while at the same time teach their children that racial hatred and injustices are wrong and that ALL men and women are equal.
Lorraine... except for conning millions of nimwitts to vote for him what exactly has Obama ever accomplished. He was elected for one reason and one reason only, because he is black. Other than that he is an empty suit.
What made the biggest impression on me yesterday? While channel flipping I saw a young man on MTV saying he could not wait for the day when he, his family and friends could be referred to simply as "Americans" instead of "African Americans". Kudos to that young man for saying what he said. I agree with him completely. Until people can learn that we are all Americans and not specialized groups of Americans we're going to continue to have strife like we see in the comments here.
I will say this, I did not vote for Obama, BUT, as said he ealier, he is our President and that's just the way it is. So, we better get used to it and pray for the man, the people he appoints, and all his future policies. I truly wish him the best, because he is not the President of the "Black States of America", he's the President of the "United States of America"! For what it's worth, I did not vote against Obama because he's black, I voted against him due to his lack of experience and his policies. But, believe me, McCain was no prize either! As far as my comment questioning Carol Bland and her having to ride in the back of the bus and using "colored only" water fountains...as I said, she is not much older than I am, and I have been all over the south and have never seen those things in place...and I'm talking since 1964. Who knows?...maybe she was in the back woods of deepest, darkest south Alabama or Mississippi! But she didn't say that, so I can only assume she meant here in Augusta. I still think she was in the back of the bus because she WANTED to be in the back of the bus! Big difference! Regardless, it's time she got over it. God bless Obama & the USA! (Please!)
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