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Grandmother chronicles huge crowd's excitement of inauguration at National Mall. Even though she does not see it, she can hear Obama's words
By Stephanie Warsmith
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Wednesday, Jan 21, 2009
WASHINGTON: Tracy Washington got up at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday to leave for the presidential inauguration. She had slept about three hours.
The young Akron grandmother wove through a sea of people to get to the National Mall. She jumped concrete barricades and metal fences. She navigated a maze of Port-o-Pots.
Washington made it to the mall just in time for President Barack Obama's inauguration. And yet she didn't get to see it.
Because of the huge crowd, she wasn't able to get close enough to watch the event on one of the many Jumbotrons. She was, however, able to hear the proceedings. And that — combined with being there — was enough for her.
''Being in the midst of all these people — you can't do that every day,'' said Washington, 40, a motivational speaker. ''If I want to see it, I can see it on TV.''
Part of church group
Washington was part of a group of about 70 people from the House of the Lord church in Akron who took a bus to Washington, D.C., for the inauguration. They left Monday morning and returned late Tuesday.
Washington wanted to go to the inauguration to chronicle the experience for her grandchildren: Amya, 19 months, and Davon, 16 months. She shot video, snapped pictures, kept a journal, recorded audio and picked up souvenirs — all of which she will put in a box, along with mementos she saved from Obama's campaign. When Amya and Davon are old enough, she plans to pull out the box and share what's inside with them.
''I didn't get to hear stories about Martin Luther King until I was in school,'' Washington said. ''I did not want my grandchildren to grow up and not hear about Obama until they're in school. I want them to hear about him now.''
She said she'll get to tell them, ''I was there.''
When Washington awoke Tuesday, she said, she prayed and thanked God ''that I'm alive to witness this historic event.''
The tour bus left the Comfort Inn in New Cumberland, Pa., making a stop at a McDonald's before dropping off the passengers at FedExField. Along the way, they listened to King's I Have a Dream speech. The group waited with about 300 others to take the subway into the city.
As soon as Washington got off the subway, she was again in a crowd. She and the others in her group wore green felt signs on their backs that read ''Akron, Ohio for Obama'' to try to help them stay together.
''This is something,'' said Lynn Lewis, 39, of Akron, who also was in the tour group. ''I've never been in this big of a crowd.''
Washington and the others came to a point where the crowd had stopped moving. They could see the Washington Monument but not the mall. ''I did anticipate getting closer than this,'' she said.
Washington checked the Internet on her cellular phone to get an update on the inauguration. She joked that she might be able to see something better on her phone than in person.
''You can't capture this energy,'' she said.
Edging closer to mall
Washington and a few others from her group kept moving, trying to get closer to the mall. They saw people in trees and on top of the portable toilets, trying to get a better view.
''That will be something to tell,'' Washington said as Lewis snapped a few pictures.
They could hear cheering coming from the mall — on the other side of a long row of Port-o-Pots. She and her friends kept moving, not giving up the idea of getting closer.
''I know we will find some way to get somewhere; we just have to keep pushing,'' said Bonnie Henderson of Akron, another tour member.
They went around a set of Port-o-Pots and suddenly were on the mall — finally able to see the masses gathered there. Washington and the others embraced, happy to have made it. They couldn't go any farther, though, because the crowd was so dense. None of the Jumbotrons was close enough for them to see.
As the invocation began, Washington pulled out her video camera and started taping. When the pastor talked about how King is probably shouting in heaven, Washington said, ''Yeah! That's wonderful.''
She took a picture with her cell phone and sent it to her two sons. As Obama took his oath of office, Washington said: ''At least we can hear. I wish they had more screens.''
She joined the crowd's hearty cheers and applause.
Crowd grows hushed
The audience became quiet when Obama began his speech, with several people hushing those around them. Washington put her hands together and bowed her head, listening intently.
When Obama said, ''We all are equal,'' she cheered. She pulled out her digital recorder and held it up to tape the speech. At one point, she pumped her fist in the air and said, ''Go, Obama. Woo-hoo!'' A few minutes later, she said, ''Yes we can!''
As Obama finished with, ''Thank you. God bless you,'' Washington yelled, ''Yeah!''
''This is just great,'' she said. ''We've got a new president!''
''You can feel the energy and love,'' Henderson said.
Washington said everyone should take Obama's message and share it with one person, calling this a ''viral message.''
Lewis said it would become contagious.
''This is it,'' Washington said as they started again moving with the crowd — this time away from the mall.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com.
WASHINGTON: Tracy Washington got up at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday to leave for the presidential inauguration. She had slept about three hours.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 08:18 AM, 01/21/2009
What a magnificent experience! All the nation and world was abuzz with excitment. Let's hope we can all work together as one and put our diferences beind us to help Obama make this nation a great nation again.
Posted 08:26 AM, 01/21/2009
Sure were a lot of black people there yesterday? Either a lot of them called of work, or don't even work. Pretty sad though that they were singing hey hey good bye to Bush. The man was our president whether you liked him or not, show some respect!
Akron, OH
Posted 08:34 AM, 01/21/2009
How racist....shirts that say "Now is our time"..all the black people are wearing em...um...in case you blacks didn't notice...Barack wants to CREATE jobs, which means no more welfare and section 8...you'll actually have to get off your butts and WORK!
Akron, OH
Posted 08:44 AM, 01/21/2009
@ Tom - Like we put our differences behind us and helped Bush make this nation a great nation??
But to be fair, I'll give Obama an opportunity to make good on each and every promise he made, as well as criticize him when he fails to produce.
Akron, OH
Posted 09:44 AM, 01/21/2009
"Now is our time" yep it's your time to quit making excuses. The man isn't holdin nobody back now.
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 10:14 AM, 01/21/2009
Notice all the smiling white teeth in yesterday's pictures in the newspaper? I think the colored people will be very disappointed when nothing else changes in years out during the Obama administration for them. Do they really think that Obama will turn the USA into a socialistic welfare country for coloreds? Remember that the WASPs have most all of the money in this country, and Obama will be gone in 2013 if he tried to spread the wealth around from the pockets of the WASPs using socialism.
Posted 10:31 AM, 01/21/2009
Wow....... good to see pretty much everyone hit the nail on the head so far! I was watching the inauguration yesterday and wondering how everyone got off work to be there and moreover, could afford to drive, fly, train, etc. to Washington, then pay for a hotel, then pay for meals, then buy souvenirs, etc. Funny how lots of the folks who were there can't pay their mortgages but can afford to go and see the first black president be sworn in. Oh, what's that? Oh yeah, forgot, he's more white than black. That's even funnier. Thankfully, he was raised by whites, educated by whites, and dresses white or else he wouldn't be sitting in the oval office today.
Posted 12:40 PM, 01/21/2009
How did everyone celebrating "our time" manage to get off work and afford all this?
hmmm lets see
speaking for myself as of Jan 1st I have 80 hours of paid vacation time. It is also time for tax refunds. There is a such thing as planning for this day like a vacation ahead of time.
Haters please get a life.
"my president is black infact hes half white so even in a rasicts mind hes half right so if u got a rasicts mind its alright my presidents is black but his house is all white"
Sharon Twp, Oh
Posted 01:41 PM, 01/21/2009
Hey Nicky G....sad but true.
Posted 04:08 PM, 01/21/2009
I'm as white as white gets out ... however, yesterday, I was proud to be an American ... just to see how far we have come ... from blacks in slavery to the civil rights movement to now ... wow, what an accomplishment. I didn't vote for Obama ... but I'm proud to see the strides that America is making. We haven't fully arrived ... when people are still holding prejusdices against each other, we can't fully arrive to where we need to be as a nation. We need to educate ourselves, our children and grandchildren and so forth as wellas leave the little bubbles that we have grown up in and leave our selfishness aside to get to know others who are different than us ... I love how President Obama is stressing community service ... I had a prejusdice against homeless people thinking they are all lazy and such ... until I became involved with a group that helps the homeless ... not all homeless people are lazy ... like not all black people are lazy an on welfare, like not all whites are rich and snobby, not all latinos are illegle immagrants and so on and so fourth ... lets try to keep an open mind y'all and become a strong America!
Akron, Oh
Posted 05:17 PM, 01/21/2009
Hey RacialRealist...apparently my post was a little too true because it got deleted. How very odd because it was all public record: Tracy Washington DID NOT pay her taxes for the last couple years, DID get evicted for nonpayment of rent, and she DID get convicted of a dui. Oh my...I just stated the truth again. Can't we just all focus on how great it is she got to celebrate the so-called "our time" ???
Deletion countdown in one...two...
Sharon Twp, Oh
Posted 07:38 PM, 01/21/2009
You missed the $597.25 bad check.
Stow, OH
Posted 10:54 PM, 01/21/2009
All hail the boy king as arrived. Someone let me know when I can quit my job and have someone else pay for my home, healthcare and children. This is gonna be great man!
Posted 10:11 AM, 01/22/2009
Imabitterclinger,
Do you know that President Obama did not get to where he is at by hand outs and quitting his job? Nope, not at all ... he worked to get to where he is at, he dreamed and he followed that dream. It sounds to me like he is challenging us to follow our dreams ... I bet you don't have any dreams bitterclinger ...
Akron, OH
Posted 01:36 AM, 01/23/2009
Kiznev read a little. The majority of people collecting welfare and on section 8 are in fact caucasion. I am so proud of the strides this great country has made but from the nature of the posts in response to this article we have a LONG way to go.
Why is Ms Washingtons past relevent here? That was a rhetorical question.
Sharon Twp, Oh
Posted 09:50 AM, 01/23/2009
Janelle wrote:Why is Ms Washingtons past relevent here? That was a rhetorical question....
Because she probably thinks like this woman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36x8rTb3jI
