Where were you...?

Every so often there are events that strike the common consciousness of a generation; days that are so memorable for so many people that people take note of where they were when the event occurred. These conversations usually start with "Where were you when..." For my grandparents' generation, these conversations usually involve the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the end of WWII. For my parents' generation, the events are the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the Challenger explosion. My own distinct memories are of the Oklahoma City bombing, Columbine, and the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Today marked another unifying milestone in my generation's memory. Today, Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States, the first African American to hold that office. I sat in a lecture hall filled with theology students, faculty, and staff as I watched President Obama take the oath of office. I stood and cheered alongside Black and White classmates of all ages, as well as international students from around the world. I heard the triumph in the hands that clapped and the voices that cheered as we watched this historic moment. I was amazed.

I cannot grasp the depth of emotion that my classmates who have struggled against racism felt as Obama spoke. I cannot even imagine how my professors who fought in the Civil Rights movement felt. On a day filled with incredible rhetoric and symbolism, my words cannot possibly convey the importance of this event. I can only express the hope and excitement and pride that flooded my heart as I watched a man I admire, a man whose election stands atop generations of people struggling against oppression, be installed in the highest position in my nation's government. Today, more than ever before in my life, I am proud to be an American.