Following in the tracks of his political hero President Abraham Lincoln, President Elect Barack Obama is making a journey on a train from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. making stops in Wilmington, DE (where he is talking right now), Baltimore, MD. Americans are lined up along the tracks awaiting the train to pass through their town.
As I am sitting here watching it all on CNN and I reflect on Saturday mornings growing up in Cincinnati. My Mother would make scrambled eggs, bacon and her famous cinnamon toast (bread with butter, cinnamon and sugar then broiled in the oven). My brother and I sat across from each other, teasing each other relentlessly. We would sip on our O.J. patiently waiting for breakfast. It was family time. We watched “Soul Train” almost transfixed on the TV above the oven in the bright yellow kitchen.
Those were sweet memories. But now, I sit in my own apartment in New York City. Watching Obama speak live and typing this blog on my computer. I just ate homemade waffles with bacon and coffee. (Yes, I can cook.) It’s analogous that Obama is taking a train ride. It reminds my of the stories my Mother told me about Harriette Tubman and the Underground Rail Road. Tubman lead many slaves who escaped from the South and crossed the Ohio River and ended up in Cincincinnati. It’s also symbolic to me that it’s Saturday morning and there is a new train on TV. Like “Soul Train” inspired me with it’s magical moments, the dances, the fashions (remember the Asian woman with the long hair?) so does this train. “Soul Train” was more than entertainment. It was African American owned and produced. It was a first as well.
“This is no ordinary train ride,” said Vice President Elect Joe Biden said. Obama’s journey is like riding a soul train. Let’s enjoy this historic expedition.
