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SHACKLED NO MORE
In my mind’s eye, I see the spirits of men, women and children from the past rising from the dust
of the Earth. They have come to celebrate this great occasion with us. Just Able is standing there with Sojourner
Truth, Malcolm X and Moses. Martin and John stand with Joshua, Medger and Abraham. I hear them singing, “We shall
overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome some day.” They celebrate the installation of Barack Hussein Obama,
as the 44th President of the U.S.A. He is the first African American elected to this position of great power
and responsibility. They celebrate the first African American 1st Lady of the United States of America, Michelle
L. Robinson Obama. Many great-grandparents came on walking canes and in wheelchairs. Young men with their pants
hanging off their behinds and young women just turning 18 voted. Parents took their young in voting booths, that they could
say, “I voted for Barack Obama.” Even you who cannot tell family members and friends you voted for a “Black”
man, they saw you. They thank you for making it possible for a person of color to administrate, where in the past they
could only serve. Your excuses to hate, fail and quit have been dashed to the ground. Join hands with those
who see the water picture as half full and not half empty. Why you ask? It is because they know that if each of
us, add one drop to the pail, it will soon be full. Together, we can create a better World, if we work, pray and stay
together. We can overcome obstacles, if we disagree without killing one-another, with our tongues. With
the winds of God at their backs, they passed the baton to this generation. Receding they said, “Shackled no more!”
“Shackled no more!” “Thank God almighty, we are shackled no more.” November
7, 2008 Cr. Revised January 17, 2009 Cr. Ms. Alice B. Nixon-Barr
This is the condensed
version Presented by: Alice Nixon-Barr On Behalf Of The Long Island Citizens Inaugural Ball
The Carltun, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, NY
January 20, 2009
