Just a little bit of history repeating...

On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech that will remain in the hearts of every American for generations to come. He had a dream that our nation would one day no longer be divided. That it could one day be a nation of equality, freedom and justice for all people. My grandfather, Bruce "Smiles*" Moodie, was a strong, compassionate, kind-hearted white man, a man who never believed in racial inequality, a man who I unfortunately never had the opportunity to meet, attended that rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial one warm August day. He was a military man and spent a great deal of time in Washington. However his home was with his wife and son, my grandmother and father. Bruce was so moved by King's speech that he wanted to share that historical moment with his wife Bette. He called her on a classic 1960's briefcase satellite phone and reported every detail to her, word for word, of what was truly a monumental day. She was so grateful to share that moment with him. It is a day in her life that she will never forget.
Last night I had the privilege of attending the rally in Grant Park for President elect Barack Obama. This election marks the first time, in history, that an African American has been elected president, as well as the first time I had the opportunity to vote (I cried in the polling booth while I was filling out my ballot) While waiting in line to get into the park I called my grandmother, an avid Obama supporter, not knowing that she experienced the situation above nearly 50 years ago. My grandmother expressed her undeniable support and admiration for this event, welling up with tears of joy that her granddaughter could experience such a thing.

My grandmother is a simple woman who has lived a simple life. But to have experienced two unforgettable moments such as these, alongside two people she truly loves, she is unlike any other.

**My grandfather was given the name Smiles on his birth certificate as a twisted, mean joke from my great-grandfather. He later had it legally changed to Bruce. What a wonderful family I belong to.