Civil Rights Activists Reflect on Election of President Obama

By Rev. Martin Deppe, Northern Illinois Conference

Rev Martin Deppe, retired clergy from the Northern Illinois Conference, who was involved in the efforts to bring racial integration to white Methodist churches in Mississippi in says about the election of Barack Obama to the Presidency, “Oh, happy day!” Rev. Deppe along with Rolly Kidder, a white Evangelical United Brethren seminarian, and Tom Armstrong, a black Tougaloo senior were turned away from Capitol Street, Galloway and Wesley Methodist Churches at morning, afternoon and evening services on 19 Jan. 1964. The usher at Capitol Street said to the white clergy, "you two are welcome; he is not." We've come a long way.

Reflections from a Mississippi Freedom Rider

In the early 1960’s, Thomas Armstrong was a college student at historically black Tougaloo College , Jackson , Mississippi . He was a many times arrested Freedom Rider. In November, 2008 – Armstrong, now a long time resident of Naperville, IL served as an election judge in DuPage County, IL.

By Thomas Armstrong

On November 4, 2008 at 5:00 AM I arrived at a predetermined polling station. My group of ten Election Judges opened the polls promptly at 6:00 AM for voting. As the first vote was caste I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry. I sat in awe. This is it. We are on our way.

As the voters poured in they wore tremendous smiles. It was like they were projecting an unwritten message: "Yes we can". Seventy-eight percent of the registered voters in the precinct where I worked did vote. Breaking speeding records while delivering the votes to the DuPage County Illinois Board of Elections I could hardly wait. Precious items were locked in the trunk of my car – Election Ballots.

Jesus poured out his spirit on Tuesday. Through that spirit, I can see the many prophets with a smile on their faces: Medgar Evers, James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, Andy Goodman, Barbara Jordan, Nat Turner, Fannie Lou Hammer, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, and Shirley Chisholm, James Farmer and others.

Yesterday was a historic day in America . My heart goes out to the prophets of my life: My departed parents, and all my family members and friends. I so much wish to share with my close civil rights movement friends, those who walked with me through the fires of hatred and the shadows of death: Dorie Ladner Churnet, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, MacAuthur Cotton, Betty Poole Marsh, Mary Harrison Lee, Hollis Watkins, Jimmie Travis, Edwin King and others, the precious projections of love, hope, and peace. More than ever we are bound together as never before. We must make that bond work for this nation and the world.

Barack Obama has made history. He stands on the shoulders of many others. We now must again stand with him. We must support his Presidency because his Presidency belongs to us, we the people. America will come together as one nation, under God.

Yes we all now share a huge responsibility. We have the responsibility of making this country a better place. We must strive for peace. Now is not the time to sit idly by. The people, all of us have spoken. Let's improve our relationships with each other. Let's move forward with new and positive ideas. Let's make this country even greater. "Yes we can".