Professor to write Obama’s inaugural poem
Last semester, Elizabeth Alexander ’84 introduced the presidential race into the curriculum for her African American Studies course “Freedom and Identity in Black Cultures.” She added President-elect Barack Obama’s book, “Dreams from My Father,” to her syllabus and invited guest lecturers to speak about the significance of race.
And then Obama won.
“It was really a terrific convergence,” Alexander said. “To have the big moment itself and then to have a class the next day.”
But when Obama takes office on Jan. 20, Alexander will not be a bystander. The inaugural...
You would if you read Elizabeth Alexander's poems.
Congratulations Professor Alexander! You're so deserving. I can't wait until all of American hears your beautiful poetry!
I was in tears listening to the poem,this is the day that the Lord has made and we have overcome because someday is today.I was happy watching the oath of president Barack H. Obama but of coruse the poem touched my heart.Free at last Free at last,freedom has rang and may blessed be the name of our father in heaven who made all this possible and peace be to all the great leaders who came before us to make all this possible as well.Dr.King,Fredrick Douglass,etc blessed be your names in heaven.
Hi,
I am an Australian, and got up at 3 in the morning to watch the inauguration live. My main reason was to see Aretha sing her song live. I was gripped from 3 to 7am, when I finally went back to bed. I thought Elizabeth's poem was really great. So simple was the text and beautiful about the day, and beautifully read. Of course coming from over here I had never heard of her. So I looked for a site where I could let here know how great I thought it was. As a general comment, I think the whole ceremony was a wonderful endorsement of the US system of the changing of power. So ceremonial, so elegant, so personal. It was an incredible demonstration of one of the great things about America to the world. Its not the democratic process, because the election was that, and it had the elements of opposition, sniping at each other, hype, spin, presentation of the self for the public, media tricks to catch them out, and many other unpleasant things. As all very democratic countries have to do for elections, including ours - just the same but on a smaller scale. But once the election was over there were several beautiful public gestures by the candidates - eg Mcain's farewell speech which was so heartfelt and so generous. I never saw that side of him before. But all these personal generosities were there in the inaugural ceremony. Our handover of power by Prime Ministers after an election is probably as generous, but is not a public and momentous thing like yours.
Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate Elizabeth Alexander for her beautiful, simple, elegant contribution to the ceremony. It makes me think of the horse and cart in the funeral ceremonies of Kennedy and King. Thats a thing you Americans do, and has so much symbolism for you.
All the best for your new era.
Anne Bickford
Sydney Australia.
Thank you, Professor Alexander, for your beautiful poem. It was one of the highlights of an amazing day. Your description of the people who picked cotton and lettuce, and built the tall edifices to then go on and clean them, is so exactly on target.
I am glad you speak out for the people who build the tall buildings, and then stay to clean them. I hope we don't stop until all people have the human rights we all deserve - including the pickers of lettuce, tomatoes, grapes, the slaughterhouse workers and tenders of our elders and babies, who are abused verbally as "illegal aliens" and whose families are being torn apart by Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
I am glad your poem included all humble people, who work as hard as they can to get by and provide for their children.
My next goal - to find the complete text of your poem.
ad to say what we heard last Tuesday was not much better,probably labored over, and not meant for humor though it tried to hit on some truths. I look at that poem as being a part of Ellsworth Toohey's vision realized; The common mundane becoming exaulted.
I never got poetry.