On a federal holiday set aside for one of this country’s greatest Americans, with the invocation delivered by Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, a sense of history permeated the event.

By KEVIN CHILL HEARD

Managing Editor

Under the deafening roar of Americans from all race, color and creeds, a flood of humanity, a literal huddled mass, crowded the National Mall in Washington D.C.  Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, for a last look at history.

Barack Hussien Obama, the 44th president of the United States was sworn in for a second and final term.

On a federal holiday set aside for one of this country’s greatest Americans, with the invocation delivered by Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, a sense of history permeated the event.

Placing his hand on Bibles belonging to President Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., it was obvious that the gravity of the moment wasn’t missed by President Obama, who later treated himself to one last look before leaving the ceremonial platform and beginning his final four-year walk into history.

With chilling potency, the president uttered these words from the podium:

“Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew and vowed to move forward together.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts issued the oath in front of the cheering throng, but it was the day before, Sunday, that the official ceremony took place. With First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia at his side in the White House Blue Room, the president was officially sworn in for a second term in accordance with the Constitution, which requires presidential terms to begin on Jan. 20.

Just as we had never had a Black president, we also never had a Black first family.

It was only fitting that the three of them stood at his side in a more intimate setting for his last swearing for the last elected position that the first Black president will ever hold.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

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