First Person: A Dream Realized

WASHINGTON — It is hard to describe the myriad of emotions that I, as a middle-aged African-American man, felt as Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office to Barack Obama on a chilly winter day on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Watching from my seat in the press gallery, I did my best to maintain my composure as Roberts offered his congratulations to Obama as he became the 44th president of the United States of America.

I was overcome with joy, relief and satisfaction that another major milestone in our nation's history had been reached and within my lifetime. I am sure that my tears were shared by many in the vast audience at the inauguration and around the world.

I felt joy and satisfaction for my parents and others of their generation along with previous generations, who lived through so much indignity and discrimination that many probably thought they would never see this day come in their lifetimes. Motown music legend Smokey Robinson, who was among the numerous celebrities and dignitaries in attendance, admitted to the Deseret News that he was among those doubters.

"I wasn't sure, but I also wasn't sure it wasn't going to happen," he said. "But I'm glad it did happen." He added that watching Obama take the oath was "one of the most incredible days of my life."

"To see a black man become president of the United States of America. At last, we are who we say we are," he said. Robinson said that the historic nature of this event was brought into perspective for him as he saw how Obama's election to the presidency "has been celebrated by the world."

As I considered the importance of this event, there was relief for the younger generation, who now know that if they are bright, ambitious, determined and can articulate their vision, they too could actually grow up to be president.

As children growing up on the south side of Chicago, my friends and I never believed that suggestion was anything more than empty words. Watching the way society routinely treated people of color, women or those of lower economic means clearly indicated that it was not a realistic goal for us.

Today, Barack Hussein Obama showed me and everyone in this country and abroad that America could "change" and judge people by the "content of their character" and not just the color of their skin. How fitting that a person of mixed race from a working-class family would be the one to lead us into the next chapter in our nation's history.