“Why did you attend the inauguration?”—that was the question we asked many people. We dug deep, and received some interesting responses. We went beyond healthcare, the economy, or human rights. We made it personal. We asked diverse individuals, and in turn received diverse answers. Although there were many different responses, there was one that stuck out: this is history.
This is the type of history that earns the cover on a textbook, or the type of story that never gets old. This is the type of history that people think and dream about. Being at the Inauguration and hearing the words of Barack Obama rather than listening to them through a television, had an inexplicable effect. It’s one thing to look at a history book and feel a certain connection with the topic, but it’s another thing to look at the picture or read the story and say, “I was there”.
It was interesting to hear the varied perspectives and reasons why people attended the inauguration. Some attended because they had to, others attended because they had nothing better to do. Most attended for what the Inauguration was intended: to witness one of the most historical events of our time. “I never thought this would happen in my lifetime”—this was probably one of the most common responses we received during the course of our interviews. Generally, we kept our questions simple and let people and their stories speak for themselves.
Some of the common questions we asked the general public were:
Where are you from?
By asking this question, we had an idea of how far people had come to witness the Inauguration, which led to our next question…
Why is it so important for you to attend the Inauguration? How is being here significant to you?
The reoccurring response for this question was actually pretty simple: history. Most wanted to be there to witness history, and to be a part of such a historical event. Some came alone, but most came with their families. Fathers, grandmothers, sons and daughters—there were no exceptions. Most parents explained how important it was for them to have their children there, as they themselves never thought it was something they would witness, let alone their children.
How does it feel to be right here, right now?
Excited. Anxious. Happy. Overwhelmed. Cold. There were all sorts of responses we received from this question, all of them being positive. The lively atmosphere at the inauguration was contagious, as it was almost impossible to walk by so many happy people and not smile. There were hundreds of volunteers whose only job was to greet people, smiling and shaking hundreds of hands. That in itself was extraordinary.
Recall the moment you found out that Obama was President- Elect. Where were you and what was your initial reaction?
Although we heard numerous stories about where and when people heard the news of Obama being elected President- Elect, many told us that they had an emotional reaction, similar to what we witnessed during the Inauguration. Crying, jumping for joy, and huggung the closest person standing near them were all common responses. The surge emotion people were feeling was magnified physically, which added to the intensity of Inauguration Day for many, and from what we heard, November 4th as well.
Do you think that Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has been fulfilled?
For this question, we got mixed answers. Those who answered no did, however, say that they thought Obama’s Inauguration was a step in the right direction as far as fulfilling the dream. Sometimes if there were people with children, we would ask their views on their children witnessing President Obama’s election. They answered by saying that they were thrilled to have the next generations see firsthand that they could do and be anything they aspired to.
Do you have anything else to add about the 2008 election, the inauguration, Obama, or the future?
Most decided to comment on what they thought the next few years will be like. Some simply stated that they didn’t know what to think about the future. The majority expressed excitement about Inauguration Day and reiterated that change for the better will come. Many also added in, “Go Obama!”
We drove down to D.C. a mere 4 days ago, anticipating a new beginning. So much work and preparation led up to Inauguration Day, which came and went just as planned. We drove back the way we came, in the same van, with the same people, but so much has changed. We came back home with a new President in charge, someone who has re-instilled hope in the hearts of the American people. We came back home to share what we have learned and spread the energy we experienced during our trip. We came back home to tell not only our stories, but the stories of those we interviewed. We came back home to continue writing in the book of history in which a page has been turned.
-Maya and Josh
photo creds: benheine and ekai (flickr)
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