Jan 22 2009
Impact of the Election on a 63 Year Old Black Woman
Being born in the south 63 years ago I have seen many injustices in my lifetime that are slowly moving toward justice for all people. For this I am thankful! I lived through a time when I couldn’t eat in the restaurant of my choice, vote in elections, attend the school of my choice, drink from any water fountain, ride in the front of the bus or use any public wash rooms that I chose, even in an emergency. I have watched these conditions improve as blacks and whites as well as all people have worked together to bring about change. It took a lot of work, sacrifices and even loss of lives to get to us to this place in our life. I think about people such as Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and others who have paved the way for us to break down the walls of prejudice and injustice.
As a result of the sacrifices that these people made for the cause I can eat in any restaurant that I choose to eat, drink from any water fountain, use any washroom, sit anywhere on a train, bus, boat or plane, attend any school that I choose, and vote for the president of the United States of America only naming a few of the things that I have been empowered to participate over time.
Yesterday, January 21, 2009 was very special for me as a black woman in that a black man, Barack Obama, has just fulfilled a civil rights leader, Martin Luther King’s, dream for all people that black men and white men would be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. This happened as our nation came together to elect the most qualified person to hold the highest office in the nation. They didn’t care that he was black the only thing that made a difference was that he was the most qualified candidate for the job as president. Now that is a dream fulfilled! I was born at a time that blacks really didn’t know that they could become President of the United States of America we just thought that we could so now I feel so blessed that my children and grand children have seen an African American become president so they know and see that they can do or be anything that their hearts desire. They just have to prepare themselves for the task through education and/or hard work.
Having a black president also gives a positive reflection of what we as blacks are really like in life. There are as many or more Africans Americans who are like the Obama’s than those who are not. In closing, we are moving forward as a nation to get rid of the many injustices and prejudices but there is still work for all of us to do, so let’s roll up our sleeves and get ready to work in order that we as a nation can continue to grow in the best interest of all people.
