WASHINGTON – When Barack Obama soared across the threshold of requisite electoral colleges to secure the presidency, the campus of Howard University exploded into a euphoric mass of black humanity. Could it be possible and even thinkable that a black man – a member of the race of people who built the White House — could now be its most august occupant? Several students from Howard University and Georgetown University share their thoughts on the upcoming Inauguration on Jan. 20. Like older blacks, they never thought they’d live to see an African American lord over the most powerful office in the world. This is especially true since, just two years, ago they had never heard of the Ivy League-educated lawyer with the funny name.
Amber Meeks, Atlanta native, and freshman legal communication major at Howard University: “As far as the inauguration, I’ll probably end up staying in and watching it with some close friends. I was really overwhelmed to be in the middle of everything. As far as race relations, I know that it’s been a big unifying factor for African Americans, on the night of the election, a lot of students when down on Georgia Avenue and we were just celebrating. People who don’t even go to Howard, just people in the community, we were all there. We were all united.”
Adrian Pruett, Atlanta native and sophomore music education major at Howard: “I stand here on the day leading up to the important day because it will give us a chance to inaugurate our first black president. I remember growing up and this was one of our initial thoughts thinking when he won, I was sitting in a class, a multi-racial classroom and they told us that everyone had a chance to be president. And honestly I remember everyone who was darker than a paper bag rolling their eyes. This is a chance for america’s children to see something a little different. This is a chance to show children that this is really true and what they tell you is not a lie.”
Reggie Golden, Cleveland native, jazz studies major with a vocal concentration at Howard: “Well, it inspired me, because it led me to believe that I had to be an example for those around me. Barack Obama he’s proven to be a great example for all of us. But he’s at a national level. But he can’t come to every school in the D.C. area and tutor them and teach them to read. But it inspired me to get active and try to encourage other people to go out and do the best that they can. Since then I started working at Ameri-core as a tutor at an elementary school.”
Martina Abraham, New Jersey native, marketing and finance, Georgetown University: It’s been really exciting, especially in the last couple of months, since the election. I’m really looking forward to the Inauguration. I was in my friends apartment, and after they announced that they had won, my friends and I ran to the White House. It’s only like 3 miles to the White House. Walked and ran. It was a lot of fun. There were a lot of news cameras. It makes a lot more confident in my abilities and it makes me want to work harder because I realize that a lot more is possible than I ever thought.
Kirsten Scott, Houston native, international politics major, Georgetown: “My best friend actually goes to Howard and I was on Howard’s campus. I spent some time on the yard. It was great. Lots of memories. I think it’s the perfect time to be a college student. Anywhere, really, but especially in D.C. the first time we get to vote, we get to vote for the first African American president. And I think that’s really huge. I’ll remember that for the rest of my life.”
Taneeka Hanna, a Howard University student from Durham, N.C.: “I will be somewhere with my choir family [on Inauguration Day]. A lot of them I actually watched the election with. I read that they start counting the number of prisons they need by the number of 3rd graders that pass the reading test. And so I found that really ridiculous. Hopefully by the time [Obama’s] really settled in, that in four years or eight years that it will change the perception that the country has of black men.”- terry shropshire
