How History Shapes Barack Obama's Inauguration
On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama will become the 44th
president of the United
States.
"Inauguration
Day Events," tells the history of each of the events and how each part of
the day became a tradition. When the
President elect swears in, he is required to say the oath
in Article 2 of the United States Constitution, "I do solemnly swear (or
affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United
States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution
of the United States." The Inauguration
speech often sets the tone of how the president will govern the country. The Yale Avalon Project has each past President's
Inaugural speech posted on its website.
The article, "How
History Shapes Barack Obama's Inauguration," talks about how the President
elect is drawing inspiration from another Illinois politician, Abraham Lincoln.
Two
million people are expected to be in Washington
to witness Barack Obama's inauguration as the first black president in the United States. "An
American Moment: Road to the Inauguration,"covers a wide range of
perspectives from different parts of the country on this historic event. "In
Birmingham Ala., Revolution is Frozen in Time," Henry Biggs, a 55 year old
native of Birmingham
reflects on the history of the civil rights movement and points out, "Well,
it would be significant if Obama was simply the first African American
president. But it is even more significant if you understand where African
Americans have had to come from, and what they have had to go through." In "A
New Reality for Las Vegas Muslims," Fateen Seifullah, the 40-year-old imam
and African American who spent his early years in the South comments, "It
represents the apology African Americans have been waiting so long for.... the
election has healed wounds that we didn't even know existed." The article, "In
Indiana Protestors Keep Giving Peace a Chance," members of Bloomington
Peace Action Coalition that gathers every week to protest the war in Iraq, think Barack Obama's election has not
helped change the situation in Iraq. Timothy Baer comments, "I think that a lot of
people are kind of like, ‘It's all kind of moving now. It's all going to
change.' And I don't quite feel that way."
- The President elect is required to take the oath "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." What words stand out? If you were to write an oath for the head of a country, what would it say?
- In many countries people expect the leader to represent the interest of the state. In a democracy, responsibility is shared by elected officials and citizens. What role do ordinary people have in protecting and preserving democracy? Are there differences between a leader's responsibility and a person's responsibility to "preserve, protect, and defend" the Constitution? If so, what are they?
- If you were to write Obama's inauguration speech, what do you think he should talk about? How can he help bring the country together in these difficult times?
- Henry Biggs says in regards to Obama's election, "But it is even more significant if you understand where African Americans have had to come from, and what they have had to go through." Why is Barack Obama's election so significant? What does this symbolize for racial equality? What doesn't his election reveal about racial and ethnic disparities in the US?
- Fateen Seifullah says, "...the election has healed wounds that we didn't even know existed." What does Seifullah mean by this statement? How does this election help heal wounds? What other steps could help heal the past? What responsibility do citizens have today to help overcome our painful history?
