The feel on the streets of Harlem has been a bit different these past two days. It is not one thing in particular that I have seen or heard, but things are different.
Walking on Frederick Douglass Blvd, or passing the Harriet Tubman statue a few blocks away, or noticing afresh this morning that 125th Street is alternatively named Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Blvd... led me to pause and reflect just a bit more on the significance of November 4, 2008. My thoughts went to young Harriet Tubman- beaten, whipped, and sustaining a lifelong head injury at the hands of a slave owner- on US soil... a woman who then went on to live her life, sustained by the merciful grace of God, to rescue dozens of slaves through the Underground Railroad. My mind went to the thousands upon thousands who were whipped, cast down, spit upon, and mistreated in so many ways because of the color of their skin. It made me wonder what they dreamed of, what they hoped for, and what a brighter tomorrow looked like in their mind.
The hour and a half that I spent waiting in line with other Harlemites on Tuesday to vote was time well spent. I learned that typically there are between 5 and 6 people in the school gym voting at any given time of the day. This election, there were too many to count. Young, old, black, brown, white, dressed for the office or dressed for the streets- all of us waiting our turn in one gymnasium to be a part of the democratic process.
Tuesday evening, we went to sleep when it looked like the election was decided, although it would still be a few more hours until everything was official. The way we figured, that night there would either be riots, or there would be celebrations.
Being in a sports arena when the crowd roars is an exhilerating experience. Being awoken from your sleep by the roar of elation of an entire neighborhood is unforgettable.
For a neighborhood where many still view themselves as the cast down of this country, it was a big day. A triumphant day.
What a place to be, at this particular moment in human history.
