Amid the outpouring of inaugural joy over the racial progress represented by President Barack Obama, there was a single, humorous mention of work still to be done.
After the first black president had been sworn in, the Rev. Joseph Lowery ended his benediction with a rhyme familiar to black churchgoers:
“We ask you to help us work for that day
when black will not be asked to get in back,
when brown can stick around …”
There was laughter from the enormous crowd. The 87-year-old civil rights pioneer continued:
“When yellow will be mellow,
when the red man can get ahead, man;
and when white will embrace what is right.
That all those who do justice and love mercy say amen.”
The crowd thundered, “Amen!”
After the first black president had been sworn in, the Rev. Joseph Lowery ended his benediction with a rhyme familiar to black churchgoers:
“We ask you to help us work for that day
when black will not be asked to get in back,
when brown can stick around …”
There was laughter from the enormous crowd. The 87-year-old civil rights pioneer continued:
“When yellow will be mellow,
when the red man can get ahead, man;
and when white will embrace what is right.
That all those who do justice and love mercy say amen.”
The crowd thundered, “Amen!”
