VOLUME 88 - NUMBER 3
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, ^009
TELEPHONE (919) 682-2913 PRICE; 30
Obama takes historic spot
as first black president
WASHINGTON (AP) - Presi
dent Barack Obama ushered in a
new era for the United States, be
coming the first black leader of the
country founded by slave-owners,
and telling the world America Is
•’read) fo lead once more" after
eight divisive years under George
W. Bush.
Taking the helm of a nation beset
by economic troubles and two wars.
Obama told Americans in his inau
gural address Tuesday that ’’start-
ing today, we must pick ourselves
up, dust ourselves off and begin the
work of remaking America."
Before a crowd that swelled to
more than I million on the National
Mall. Obama assumed power over
a nation longing for change after an
era that that witnessed the Sept. 11.
200i terror attacks, the beginning
of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and
an economic collapse not seen since
the Great Depression of the 1930s.
From Kenya and Indonesia,
where Obama has family ties, to
Asia. Europe, Africa and Latin
America, his inauguration sparked
a volcanic explosion of hope for
better days ahead. People around
the world gathered in front of their
television sets to witness the mo
ment in histor)’. and Obama ad
dressed them directly.
“To all the other peoples and
governments who are watching to
day. from the grandest capitals to
the small village where my father
was bom: know that America is
a friend of each nation and ever)'
man. woman, and child who seeks a
future of peace and dignity, and that
we are read)’ to lead once more.*
Obama said.
A gifted, inspirational speaker,
the son of a Kansas-born mother
and Kenyan-born father has raised
the hope's of millions at home and
tiUiudU vviili luj> piuniiics lu em
phasize diplomacy, seek global
solutions to climate change, reject
torture and shut dow n the Guantan
amo Bay prison.
His words marked a call for per
sonal accountability and a repudia
tion of the Bush years.
■'Our time of standing pat. of
protecting narrow interests and put
ting off unpleasant decisions - that
time has sure!) passed." Obama
said. “Starting today, we must pick
ourselves up. dust ourselves off.
and begin again the w ork of remak
ing America."
Obama's 10-year-old daughter.
Malia. aimed a camera at her father
as he spoke. His wife. Michelle,
leaned onto the edge of her seat,
body tensed and brow' knitted.
His speech took note of his his
toric place as the first black presi
dent in understated but deliberate
language, and he spoke of himself
as “a man whose father less than
60 years ago might not have been
served at a local restaurant" yet one
who now could take its most sacred
oath.
Immediately after the inaugura
tion ceremony. Bush and his wife.
Laura, boarded a helicopter along
side the U.S. Capitol, to begin their
Journey home to Texas. The new
president and his wife walked them
to the chopper - keeping with tradi
tion - to see them otT.
It was a day of high spirits -
jarred by sudden concern about the
health ot Sen. Edward M. Kennedy,
a legendary' Democrat who is suf
fering from brain cancer. He was
rushed from a post-inauguration
luncheon in the Capitol in honor of
Obama. Doctors said later the sei
zure had been prompted by fatigue.
When the luncheon finished.
Obama led otT the inaugural pa
rade from the Capitol to the White
House, paying homage to pioneers
who paved the way for the United
States* first black president.
To rousing cheers, the new pres
ident and his wife stepped out of
their limousine to greet part of the enthusiastic crov- ■ that lined the parade
route.
Among those following Obama's limousine o .w u Pennsylvania Avenue
were re-enactors from a black Civil War regimei-t. World War ll's surviv
ing TuskegeeAimien -the country's first group ot black militaiy pilots and
crew - and Freedom Riders who battled for civil rights.
(Continued On Page 3)
Durham Committee Holds
74th Annual Meeting
The 74th Annual Meeting of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of
Black People (DCABP) will be held Sun.. Jan. 25, 5:30 pm at Immanuel
Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church. 2104 Alston Avenue. The host
pastor for this first 2009 public meetinu of the DCABP is Dr. John Nixon.
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CONGRESSWOMAN YVETTE D. CLARKE
The public is invited to attend this occasion that officially begins the
74th _\ear of the organization informally known as the "Durhani Com
mittee" that was founded in 1935. The Annual Meeting, mandated by
the constitution, is to report to the community at-large: past and pres
ent initiatives, plans, and projects: and to install the 2009 volunteer
leadership team of twenty-seven (27) members including, nine general
officers and eighteen (18) chairs and vice chairs of the nine standing
committees: namely, the Civic. Economic. Education. Health. Hous
ing. Legal Redress. Political. Religious and Human Affairs, and Youth
Committees, The "Durham Committee” is a broad-base community
organization wliose constitutional purpose is "to serve as a representa
tive of and as a leadership body for the Black citizenry of the City and
County of Durham in order to promote tlie welfare of that citizenry
in civic, cultural, economic, educational, health, housing, political and
youth affairs. The principle function is to work toward the elimination
of racial discrimination or racial distinction in public and/or private
atfairs."
The keynote speaker for this public event is Congresswoman Yvette
D. Clai ke. a Brookiy n. native, w ho in November 2006 was elected witli
89% of tile vote to represent New York's 11th Congressional District.
Representative Clarke is currently a member of three U.S. House of
Representative Committees: Education and Labor. Homeland Security,
and Small Business: and two subcommittees of Contracting and Tech
nology and Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship. Representative Clarke's
2009 legislative agenda, in the 111th Congress includes: education,
healthcare, housing crisis, jobs, civil liberties, labor (reauthorization
of the Workforce Investment Act - WIA). improvement of the Small
Business Administration (SBA). dramatic improvement and significant
changes to the No Child Left Behind Act. reauthorization of tlie Hous
ing and Community Development Act. creation and implementation of
a universal healthcare sy stem, enhancement of 8 (a) Program. Small
Disadvantage Business Program and Historically Underutilized Busi
ness (HUB) Zone Program, and reintroduction of H.R. 6803 - Real
Estate Assessment Center Inspective Improvement Act of 2008.
It is a distinct privilege to have Congresswoman Clarke share her
2009 legislative agenda w itii us during her presentation because her fo
cus speaks directly to the priority interests of tlie "Durham Committee"
including Economic. Education. Health. Housing. Political and Youth
Affairs. We urge tlie public to come out to hear a dynamic congressio
nal leader w ith an inspirational challenging message. .An elective con
gresswoman wlio was recently re-elected in November 2008 w ith 94%
of the vote and sworn in as W'liip of the Congressional Black Caucus,
An additional iiighliglit of this occasion will be a motivational pre
sentation about HK on .1 by Rev, Dr, William J. Barber. II. president
of North Carolina NAACP. The Historic Thousands on Jones Street
(HK on J). founded in 2007. will take place Saturday. February 14.
2009 beginning at 9:30am at Chavis Park in Raleigh. The program w ill
continue with a march to Jones Street starting at 10:30am and ending
in front of the legislative building with demands to urge state legisla
tors to address all 14 priorities of the Peoples Agenda. All N/TaCP
members and friends are specially invited to be present at this event.
We must be ready to accept the cliarge from the NAACP president. Dr.
Barber, to become an important part of tills liistoric movement. For as
Dr. Barber proclaims, it is a "Movement not a Moment."
In this liistoric year of 2009. our new President. Barack Obama, has
challenged us all to join his efforts and become involved and empow
ered. Our theme for tliis year is aligned with Obama's challenge. "Em
powerment Demands Woi Ks. Knowledge, and Unity." It's a chance to
join collecliveii in the "Yes We Can" belief.
Pre.sident anti Michelle Obama (Photo by Metropolis)
Obama inauguration moves
NC residents at home, DC
By Gary D. Robertson
RALEIGH (AP) - North Carolina leaders and supporters of President Barack Obama spoke ot racial progre‘^s
and high expectations Tiiesda) as the) watched him make histor) by taking the oath of office.
"it leaves you almost speechless." said state Sen. Charlie Dannelly. 84. He and his wife. Rose, stood in front o'*
the TV in their Charlotte home as a sign of respect as Obama was sworn in as the country's first black president.
"M) body was full of goose pimples." said Dannelly. who is black.
Danneil) thought ot the giant steps the United States had made since the days of civil rights activist the Rev.
Martin Luther King Jr.: "1 thought about how proud I am, of how much our countiy has grown."
Obama's November election \ ictor\ proved a milestone for North Carolina as well He edged Republican
nominee John McCain b) 14.200 votes to give the state's electoral votes to a Democrat for the fiist time since
1976.
North Carolina residents who wanted to see history in person found inaugural tickets to be hot ones, as man)
congressional offices held lotteries to distribute them.
Shelton Iddeen. 57. ot Greensboro w'as among those from North Carolina who braved the frigid weatiier to
participate in histoi'). He arrived at the Mall at 4 a.m. and huddled in from of an ambulance to warm up after say
ing he couldn't feel his toes.
Mikki Hill. 26. came from Winston-Salem with his mother.
"It s not just about a black president." he said. "Everybody is behind him. Evi lybod)'s come from as far as
the Earth is w ide."
First-term Sen. Ka) Hagan. D-N.C.. w atched the ceremony from in front of the Capitol and could see the more
than 1 million people packed in to the Washington Monument. Now it's time for Obama and other elected leaders
to get to work, she said.
"He s got a Congress and the American people who expect great things." Hagan said in an interview. "We're
in a situation of dire economic straits and people want to see change. Biit the other side of that equation is there
is a lot of hope."
Sen. Richard Burr. R-N.C.. called the former Illinois senator a friend with w hom he hoped he could w ork on
issues such as health care, energ\ and education.
" The histoiy that w ill be w ritten on Barack Obama is now in his hands." Burr said. "He now has a iremendou.
amount of responsibilit) that was just laid on his shoulders."
Bun- sat near McCain at the inauguration and is a close political ally of the GOP nominee. He said McCain
wasn't looking back on the campaign.
"That s not John McCain." he said. "When it's all over, somebody won and somebod) lost."
Excitement about Obama, and the Democratic primary between him and Hillary Rodham Clinton, helped partv
voter registration and turnout soar, w hich helped generate victories for Hagan and Perdue, who became North
Carolina's first female governor.
Perdue didn't attend the inauguration - she had already visited Washington twice in the past week and fei; it
was best she should sta\ home and work on the budget shortfall. After meetings and a visit to crews ty ing to clear
roads trom a rare snowstorm. Perdue was able to watch the tail end of the ceremoii) with staft'meinbers on a smaii
television in the old Capitol building. She w'atched other portions afterward on the internet.
"It's just tremendously uplifting." Perdue said in a phone interview. “I think this is probably as good as it ger‘
for all of us in terms of a nc\’ yuirt."
Sen. Vernon Malone. 77. ret ailed briefly the indignities of the Jim Crow era in his childhood - his mother had to
go to the bathroom on t!; . 1 :'f the road during a family car trip because there weie no restrooms for blacks.
"I don't look back on ou can't forget it." said Malone, who had three television sets x. outheast
Raleigh home so he wouh > anything. "If you spend too much time on that, it creates a kin;* e ■■ “^entment
that will psychological!) de .hi.
“Our best davs are still in i; - . ,)f us."