We got into Cleveland about 6:30 in the morning. Our friends Ajaree and Shyam had gotten up at 4 AM and drove into the city to get us.... Then we drove back to their house in Hudson, about an hour away.
That night they drove us back into Cleveland and we all attended a concert in honor of Martin Luther King. It was a free concert with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra and a black choir. Seemed like there were about 300 people on stage. Great acoustics too.
The music was beautiful. But what was really really wonderful was the spirit of the audience. I'd guess the crowd was about 95% black, and there was such a feeling in the air, in anticipation of the inauguration. Several speakers said what everyone was thinking, about how remarkable it is that we are about to have a black president when the civil rights movement is fresh in the memory of so many people right in this very room. And so on.
The last number was skillfully led by a man who played the energy of the crowd like a violin. I don't remember the name of the song, but he had everyone singing, swaying, clapping, and many hallelujahs were bouncing of the walls as well. We cried with happiness, which happened a lot this week, every time we considered the whole situation.
What we keep hearing is, "I have a son. I have a daughter. Now I can tell them, honestly, that they can be anything they want to be."
I don't know how the presidency will go, but this is a wonderful moment.
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