I cried in the voting booth today. I wasn’t sad. I wasn’t mad or upset. It’s just that when I stepped into the booth and pulled out my ballot, my eyes scrolled down to see an unlikely name for a presidential candidate. I carefully aligned my pen as to be certain to avoid any error. Then the tears began to flow. My mind flashed back—and images began to flood my mind—Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as my grandmother—who served in the Korean war, yet could not use the “white only” restroom in her home town of Little Rock, Arkansas.
Throughout our nation’s history, Blacks and whites have been beaten, and many have died—with the hope that one day blacks would have the right vote as well as every other God-given inalienable right. However, I doubt if any of these trailblazers ever fathomed that one day the United States would elect an African American as the 44th President of the United States.
More than a dream, tonight was a miracle. Tonight was testament to the American Dream and the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.
As my eyes glazed over, I had to keep blinking in order to read the remaining names clearly. I returned to my car and I sat. I sighed. I reflected on what was occurring on this historic day. I wanted to rejoice, but I was overcome with the weight of the significance of this day. I wished my Grandmother—who passed away three years ago—could have witnessed this election. I wished Obama’s grandmother could have remained alive just one more day—to witness her grandson become elected President.
I thought perhaps I was alone in my reaction—until I saw Rev. Jesse Jackson’s emotional response upon the announcement that Senator Barack Obama had become President-Elect Barack Obama at 11:00 pm election night. Rev. Jackson cried like a baby—for a long time. I know that his mind must have raced back to that hotel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee when Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated at his side. Tonight was for Rev. King.
I know this election was not and could not be about race. This election was about choosing the future direction of this country. At the same time, tonight’s election proved that America has taken another step—perhaps a leap—towards making good on its promise to all Americans.
While my polling booth experience was monumental for me personally, it was only the beginning of a truly remarkable day. I knocked on forty-two doors to help get out the vote on Election Day. The only thing is, the vote was already getting out. In this eastside Detroit neighborhood, individuals of all ages were energized. In a city that is driven by cars (both literally and figuratively) I witnessed families—moms and their young adult daughters, walking to the polls. We had blue skies and record high temperatures. Surely, this day was leaning in Barack Obama’s favor.
Then tonight, all of the pieces came together. The hopes of millions of American voters were realized, and today, Barack Obama accomplished exactly what I thought he would. He ran an incredible campaign and had a strong close.
President-Elect Obama has forever changed how we elect a president. And he will forever change the face of leadership in the United States.
Bravo, Barack! Bravo, America!
