Several students from UL Lafayette along with a faculty member and an alumnus will be a part of history on Tuesday as newly-elected Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States.
Dr. Bob Carriker, head of UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 History and Geography Department, is traveling with a group of nine students to Washington, D.C. this weekend. They will be among crowd of onlookers 小蝌蚪APP estimated in the millions 小蝌蚪APP as the first African-American president is inaugurated.
小蝌蚪APP I told the students that this is an historic event of tremendous magnitude. It is a significant event comparable to the most momentous occasions of modern history,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 asked them, 小蝌蚪APP楾wenty, 30, 40 or 50 years from now, do you want to say you watched it on television or read about it in the newspaper or on someone小蝌蚪APP檚 blog? Or, do you want to be able to say that you were there?小蝌蚪APP The whole point of this trip is to participate in history.小蝌蚪APP
Carriker said the group includes both undergraduates and graduate students from a variety of disciplines including history, political science, and anthropology. They plan to leave Lafayette early Saturday morning for the drive north.
Emily Berard, a political science major, is part of the group. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 going to be an adventure and there are kind of no expectations,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 to be there and see what we see and experience what comes along and that小蝌蚪APP檚 the whole excitement behind it.小蝌蚪APP
For Shawn Wilson, a 1993 graduate of UL Lafayette and the first African-American president of the Alumni Association, celebrating the inauguration will be a family affair. He, his wife and two children will all be there.
小蝌蚪APP I see this as an opportunity for my children to be a part of history. I missed the opportunity to be a part of some of this nation小蝌蚪APP檚 most historic achievements such as the March on Washington or the passage of the Civil Rights Bill,小蝌蚪APP he explained. 小蝌蚪APP淣ot only is this important to help shape the way they define themselves as African Americans, it is critical to contributing to how they define themselves as Americans.小蝌蚪APP
The family will also visit the hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated, his burial site and the homes of Thomas Jefferson, Frederick Douglas and Arlington Cemetery.
小蝌蚪APP Each stop will have cultural or American aspects that will contribute to the value of the trip,小蝌蚪APP he said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 anticipate that this experience and this achievement will be something a Civics class could not do justice to.小蝌蚪APP