Fictionalized account of some of Black History's heroes and sheroes


Author Unknown

Guests began arriving early. There are no place cards and no name tags.
Everyone knows everyone else here. Now, there's a grand foursome -
Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz sharing laughs with Martin and Coretta Scott
King. Looks like Hosea Williams refused the limo again, keeping it real.

And my goodness; is that Rosa Parks out there on the dance floor with A.
Phillip Randolph? Seated at a nearby table, Frederick Douglass has a
captive audience in W.E.B. DuBois and Fannie Lou Hamer, and Medgar Evers
has just joined them.

Marian Anderson was asked to sing tonight, but she only agreed to do it
if accompanied by Marvin Gaye, John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix.
Look, there's Harriet Tubman. No one knows how she arrived, but there she
is. And my guess is that, when the time comes, no one will see her leave.
There's Jackie Robinson swiftly making his way through the hall as the
crowd parts like the Red Sea to the unmistakable sound of applause. "Run,
Jackie, run!" Along the way he is embraced by Jessie Owens.

Three beautiful young women arrive with their escorts - Schwerner,
Goodman and Chaney. Ms. Viola Liuzzo flew in from Michigan, exclaiming,
"I could not miss this." Richard Pryor promised to be on his best
behavior. "But I can't make any guarantees for Redd Foxx and Moms
Mabley," he chuckled. Joe Louis just faked a quick jab to the chin of
Jack Johnson, who smiled broadly while slipping it. We saw Billy
Eckstine and Nat King Cole greet Luther Van Dross. James Brown and Josh
Gibson stopped at Walter Payton's table to say hello.

I spotted Congressman Adam Clayton Powell of Harlem having a lively
political discussion with Eldredge Cleaver. Pearl Harbor WW II hero
Dorey Miller shared a few thoughts with Crispus Attucks, a hero of the
Revolutionary War. And there is Madam C.J. Walker talking with Marcus
Garvey about exporting goods to Africa.

General Benjamin O. Davis flew into Washington safely with an escort from
the 99th Fighter Squadron - better known as The Tuskegee Airman. At the
table on the left are three formidable women - Shirley Chisholm,
Sojourner Truth, and Barbara Jordan - gathered for a little girl-talk...
about world politics. As usual, all the science nerds seem to have
gathered off in a corner, talking shop.

There's Granville T. Woods and Lewis Latimer needling each other about
whose inventions are better. Someone jokingly asked Benjamin Banneker if
he had needed directions to Washington. And George Washington Carver was
overheard asking, "What, no peanuts?"

Dualing bands? Anytime Duke Ellington and Count Basie get together, you
know the place will be jumping. Tonight is special, of course, so we
have Miles, Dizzy, and Satchmo sitting in on trumpet, with Coltrane,
Cannonball, and Bird on sax. Everyone's attention is directed to the
dance floor where Bill "Bojangles" Robinson is tap dancing. Right beside
him is Sammy Davis Jr., doing his Bojangles routine. And behind his
back, Gregory Hines is imitating them both. Applause and laughter abound!
The Hollywood contingent has just arrived from the Coast. Led by
filmmaker Oscar Micheau, Paul Robeson, Cana a Lee, and Hattie McDaniel,
they find their way to their tables. Dorothy Dandridge, looking
exquisite in gold lamé, is seen signaling to her husband, Harold
Nicholas, who is standing on the floor with brother Fayard watching
Gregory Hines dance. "Hold me back," quips Harold, "before I show that
youngster how it's done." Much laughter!

Then a sudden hush comes over the room. The guests of honor have
arrived. The President and Mrs. Obama looked out across the enormous
ballroom at all the historic faces. Very many smiles, precious few dry
eyes.

Someone shouted out, "You did it! You did it!" and President Obama
replied, "No sir, you did it; you all - each and every one of you - did
it. Your guidance and encouragement; your hard work and
perseverance. .." Obama paused, perhaps holding back a tear.

"I look at your faces - your beautiful faces - and I am reminded that The
White House was built by faces that looked just like yours.
On October 3, 1792, the cornerstone of the White House was laid, and the
foundations and main residence of The White House were built mostly by
both enslaved and free African Americans and paid Europeans. In fact,
most of the other construction work was performed by immigrants, many of
whom had not yet become citizens. Much of the brick and plaster work was
performed by Irish and Italian immigrants. The sandstone walls were
built by Scottish immigrants. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that
The White H ouse is ultimately, The People's House, with each President
serving as its steward.

Since 1792 The People have trimmed its hedges, mowed its lawn, stood
guard at the gate, cooked meals in the kitchen, and scrubbed its toilet
bowls. But 216 years later, The People are taking it back!

"Today, Michelle and I usher in a new era. But while we and our family
look toward to the future with so much hope, we know that we must also
acknowledge fully this milestone in our journey. We want to thank each
and every one of you for all you have done to make this day possible. I
stand here before you, humbled and in awe of your accomplishments and
sacrifice, and I will dedicate my Presidency, in your honor, to the
principles of peace, liberty and freedom. If it ever appears that I'm
forgetting that, I know I can count on you to remind me."

Then he pointed to me near the stage... isn't it time for you to wake up
for work?

Isn't it time for all of us to wake up and get to work?"

Suddenly I awake and sit up in bed with a knowing smile.

"I've never been better," Never better. It's gonna be a good day."