Jackson County residents making the trip to Washington D.C. included Angela Bailey, Marvista Weaver, Rev. Mark Weaver, Rev. Albert Lee Weaver, Matthew Weaver and Mark Weaver.
Washington D.C.: Jackson County residents eyewitnesses to history
Forty-six years ago, the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. and told the nation he had a dream. Tuesday, some residents of Barrow, Jackson, Madison and Athens-Clarke counties witnessed that dream unfold with Barack Hussein Obama’s inauguration as the first black President of the United States.
Among the more than 1 million eyewitnesses to the amazing page in American history were local residents between the ages of 3 and 80 who boarded a chartered bus in Athens just after midnight Monday for a two-day journey to the nation’s Capitol.
The Rev. Mark Weaver, pastor of Summer Hill Baptist Church in Jefferson and Ebenezer Baptist Church East in Athens, chartered the bus that carried 44 men, women and children to the Virginia suburbs, where before dawn Tuesday they boarded a train to the Capitol.
“We do not have tickets to the inauguration, but we just want to be in midst of what’s going on,” Weaver said.
Two hours before Tuesday’s inauguration, he called the Barrow Journal to report that his group had made it to within a block of the National Mall and would try to get as close as possible to the day’s events.
“Right now, I’m standing in front of the Department of Labor, and it’s just a whole lot of people, people from everywhere, people walking from all directions to see this historical event,” Weaver said.
“I’m truly amazed and glad I came. It’s an awesome experience to be in the middle of the people. Everybody is happy and smiling. It’s a wonderful feeling here.
“The people from Washington, when we got off the train, greeted us and said, ‘Welcome to Washington.’
“It’s just wonderful. Simply wonderful.”
With Weaver were three generations of his family: his wife Marvista; sons Matthew, 13, and Mark, 14; and the pastor’s 80-year-old father, the Rev. Albert Lee Weaver.
Also on board were Jackson resident Angela Bailey; Barrow County residents Ina Brothers, Mary Lay and Brenda Wells; and Madison County residents Champayne Elder, Nyzier Elder, Jimmy Hull, Eleanor Mitchell, and Gloria Heard.
While waiting for their chartered bus in the chilly darkness Monday morning, the passengers talked about their excitement and about the significance of what they would witness.
“This is the most wonderful night I ever looked forward to,” said Albert Weaver.
“The dreamer and the dream came true,” said Heard. “Martin Luther King Jr. is the one who had the dream, and Obama is the dream come true.”
Gilda Ivory, a Jackson County native who now resides in Athens, expressed the sentiments of many African-Americans since Obama’s election.
“I never thought I would see a black President in my lifetime,” Ivory said. “I have seen history come full circle. It’s very emotional to me.”
Gloria Fears, 60, of Athens said she attended King’s funeral in 1968 and didn’t expect to see in her lifetime the election of a black President.
“I didn’t think I’d live to see it. Honestly I did not.
“But thank God.”
On another bus heading north Monday was Willie Russell, the owner of Russell Trucking in Statham. He called the Barrow Journal as he was driving a busload of D.C.-bound passengers from Stone Mountain.
“I’m driving one of six buses owned by T&D Charter Bus Service of Gainesville to the inauguration,” said Russell. “We’re about to cross into the Carolinas. We’ll be in Washington by this afternoon. That’s our plan.”
He said this inauguration is his first.
“I kinda feel good about it, that at least one time in my lifetime, I’m getting to go to one,” Russell said.
“It’s exciting. Everybody on the bus is excited about it.”
The Rev. Mark Weaver, pastor of Summer Hill Baptist Church in Jefferson and Ebenezer Baptist Church East in Athens, chartered the bus that carried 44 men, women and children to the Virginia suburbs, where before dawn Tuesday they boarded a train to the Capitol.
“We do not have tickets to the inauguration, but we just want to be in midst of what’s going on,” Weaver said.
Two hours before Tuesday’s inauguration, he called the Barrow Journal to report that his group had made it to within a block of the National Mall and would try to get as close as possible to the day’s events.
“Right now, I’m standing in front of the Department of Labor, and it’s just a whole lot of people, people from everywhere, people walking from all directions to see this historical event,” Weaver said.
“I’m truly amazed and glad I came. It’s an awesome experience to be in the middle of the people. Everybody is happy and smiling. It’s a wonderful feeling here.
“The people from Washington, when we got off the train, greeted us and said, ‘Welcome to Washington.’
“It’s just wonderful. Simply wonderful.”
With Weaver were three generations of his family: his wife Marvista; sons Matthew, 13, and Mark, 14; and the pastor’s 80-year-old father, the Rev. Albert Lee Weaver.
Also on board were Jackson resident Angela Bailey; Barrow County residents Ina Brothers, Mary Lay and Brenda Wells; and Madison County residents Champayne Elder, Nyzier Elder, Jimmy Hull, Eleanor Mitchell, and Gloria Heard.
While waiting for their chartered bus in the chilly darkness Monday morning, the passengers talked about their excitement and about the significance of what they would witness.
“This is the most wonderful night I ever looked forward to,” said Albert Weaver.
“The dreamer and the dream came true,” said Heard. “Martin Luther King Jr. is the one who had the dream, and Obama is the dream come true.”
Gilda Ivory, a Jackson County native who now resides in Athens, expressed the sentiments of many African-Americans since Obama’s election.
“I never thought I would see a black President in my lifetime,” Ivory said. “I have seen history come full circle. It’s very emotional to me.”
Gloria Fears, 60, of Athens said she attended King’s funeral in 1968 and didn’t expect to see in her lifetime the election of a black President.
“I didn’t think I’d live to see it. Honestly I did not.
“But thank God.”
On another bus heading north Monday was Willie Russell, the owner of Russell Trucking in Statham. He called the Barrow Journal as he was driving a busload of D.C.-bound passengers from Stone Mountain.
“I’m driving one of six buses owned by T&D Charter Bus Service of Gainesville to the inauguration,” said Russell. “We’re about to cross into the Carolinas. We’ll be in Washington by this afternoon. That’s our plan.”
He said this inauguration is his first.
“I kinda feel good about it, that at least one time in my lifetime, I’m getting to go to one,” Russell said.
“It’s exciting. Everybody on the bus is excited about it.”
The story did not include his comments over the years that he attended school with Martin Luther King Jr and as they became adults,each went their own way.
Albert's good nature and always positive attitude has always been an example for many young men a fraction of his age!
I know the trip to Washington was extra special to him, since such a dream has in part come true.