Invocation, More Than Just a Prayer

All institutionalized customs are derived from glorious moments remembered from generation to generation from the original event. Nations celebrate their precious memories by annually restaging those glorious moments that over the years have come to be identified with the beloved event. Today we stand on the threshold of Barack Obama's inauguration day with millions around the world who, like we are, waiting breathlessly to witness that special event that for decades to come will forever be identified with the glorious event, the installation of America's first African-American President.

We African-Americans have a long history of witnessing an endless string of "historical firsts" here in America. Some of the firsts are in the American History books used in American public schools; but most of the real significant “firsts” have long been absent from the pages of American history taught to our youth. The nation attempts to make up for this oversight by giving us the month of February to revisit Black History.
However, think of the significance of each "first" as one small step completed out of many needed to complete a long painful journey. We as a people were always able to glean one bright happening as a key to our memory of the "first" event. Even later when the event is celebrated in song, that unique happening during the event is celebrated again in the verse of the song and brings a broad smile to our lips. Yes, even now after all these years the phrase, "Jackie Robinson hit dat ball" lifts my spirits.

I agree totally with Barack that it is necessary to find the best people available for his cabinet so that they can bring their expertise and creativity to bear on fixing the many problems currently crushing American vitality. Further, I do not appoint myself spokesman for all African-Americans, but I am sure that they generally share my sentiments and sensitivities. Also we as a group are highly diverse in our respective opinions. If you doubt this statement, just get a group of Brothers or Sisters together and open up the floor to general discussion and you will quickly experience this diversity. But there are some threads that when uncovered in the conversation choke the voices and stir heartfelt passion among all who are present. We are very passionate about what is right in our world.

We get very passionate when we hear how the Tuskegee Airmen, returning home in uniform (at the end of World War II) after flying some 15,000 sorties on 1,500 combat missions, were forced to stand up on a bus down south giving up their seats to white German prisoner of war personnel. We get very passionate when we remember the untold thousands of African-Americans lynch-murder victims in the south spanning an era from the early 1900's to 1945 with not one single person has been brought before the bar of justice for these crimes. We get very passionate when we remember that the 88 slaves who enlisted and fought in the all Black 1st Rhode Island regiment in 1778 are still waiting for their promised freedom papers.

So maybe you can understand our passion when it comes to just a small portion of this historic inauguration ceremony, namely the invocation. You see on this day, the human voice that raises the official petition to our Creator asking for a blessing on the coming of this man, this African-American man, to take the helm of this great nation; must be a voice richly resonate with the dusty prayers of slaves, former slaves and freemen. Let us hear a voice reminiscent of that marvelous basso profundo voice of Frederick Douglass who in a spell binding speech summarized the aspirations of the American Negro citizen as three boxes. The first box is the free and unlimited access to the ballot box, the second, responsible duty is the jury box, and the third, the allotment of the cartridge box. (The cartridge box is the right to be part of that militia which stands ready to defend our country from attack or invasion.) Let us also hear the angelic contralto voice of Marion Anderson singing the National Anthem at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. Lastly, let us hear the thrilling echo of Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a Dream” speech still sweetly wafting about the Doric columns of the Lincoln Memorial. We need a voice that will encapsulate the succor and inspiration that our champions of the past used to strengthen and steady our footsteps that have thus now lead us to this time and place in American history.

Mr. President-Elect the inaugural invocation is not the occasion for political balancing of prospective issues or respecting calls for unity. For all these things are of the business of the day and will merit little when measured against the great achievements of history. I have little political strength beside my one vote that I cast in your behalf in the primary and in the general election. However, if I could only for one moment let my plea come to your ear Mr. President-Elect, then I would beg you to choose one who has the spiritual link with the struggles of my people from the Puritan days of Cotton Mather to these post-Katrina days. Please set before us one bathed in the centuries long wretched experiences lived by these enslaved souls. Such a person will have captured the earthy yet transcendent sensibilities inherent in the multitude of rough prayers moaned by these bruised innocents. One thusly prepared will gently inscribe the invocation with a magnificent textual remembrance properly applicable to this historic day. Those that came and suffered greatly before us and those who are suffering among us even now need to hear an invocation which will speak beyond the limits of time, and tell us all that for the uncertain journey ahead we must “Keep the Faith”. When people across this land at their respective inauguration celebrations join hands and sing verses from that old civil rights reaffirmation song, “We Shall Overcome”; I pray that the spirit of inspiration still ringing from the invocation will in harmony resolutely affirm, “Yes We Can!”