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Scenes From the 2013 Inaugural Ceremony
On Monday, thousands of revelers flooded the National Mall to witness President Obama renew his oath to America. The stretch of bodies was an astonishing sight — so much so that just as President Obama retreated back into the Capitol after the swearing-in, he paused, took one last look at the massive crowd and said,…
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Obama's Velvet-Glove Inaugural Address
(The Root) — Obama deserves very high but perhaps not superlative marks for his second inaugural address. It had more the character of an inside-the-park home run, not a grand slam. A 9 on my Olympic scorecard, not a full 10. Not a standout, A-plus effort, but certainly a quite solid A-minus. The speech will…
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The Obamas Walk in Inaugural Parade
Drawing cheers like rock stars, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama exited the limousine for the traditional inaugural walk in the parade from Capitol Hill to the White House. The duo waved to cheering, flag-waving crowds lining Pennsylvania Avenue to celebrate the beginning of the president’s second term, the Associated Press reports. Obama,…
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Obama Calls on 'We the People' at Inauguration
(The Root) — After a first term that saw fierce partisanship, a struggling economy and widespread disagreement on the principles that define us as a nation, President Barack Obama kicked off his second term with an address calling for unity while celebrating the nation’s growing diversity and insisting that we must respect and look out…
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Lupe Fiasco Thrown Offstage After Anti-Obama Rant
According to concertgoers, rapper Lupe Fiasco was thrown offstage and escorted from a Washington, D.C., concert hall Sunday night after going on an anti-war, anti-Obama rant during a preinaugural concert, the Daily Caller reports. Josh Rogin, a reporter with Foreign Policy magazine, tweeted late Sunday, “Lupe Fiasco just got thrown off stage here at the…
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First Lady Mixes Designer and Affordable Pieces at Swearing-In
First lady Michelle Obama’s Inauguration Day outfit — an all-American combination of high-end designer and mall-shop affordable chic — proved a memorable choice, according to USA Today. First lady Michelle Obama’s Inauguration Day outfit is an all-American, high-low, coat-and-dress mix, but it’s so cold in Washington you couldn’t see the dress under the coat. Or…
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Obama, Biden Publicly Sworn in for 2nd Terms
President Barack H. Obama was sworn in for a second term on Monday, using his second inaugural address to call for renewed efforts to fight climate change, invest in education and ensure equal rights for gays, the Washington Post reports. Obama, 51, took his oath at 11:51 a.m. on a gray and chilly day in…
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The Environment and Obama: What's Next?
(The Root) — Until the inauguration on Jan. 21, The Root will be taking a daily look at the president’s record on a number of policy issues, including his first-term accomplishments and what many Americans hope to see him accomplish in a second term. Today: environmental justice. See previous postings in this series here. Background: Environmental…
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Activists Like Martin Luther King Are Scary
Martin Luther King Jr. could be a terrifying man to those who enjoyed the status quo during his lifetime. Times-Picayune columnist Jarvis DeBerry writes that people should remember that people who effect change in the world often have tunnel vision that makes other people uncomfortable, even if their goal is respectable. As we commemorate the…
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Where Was the 1st Underground Railroad?
Editor’s Note: For those who are wondering about the retro title of this black history series, please take a moment to learn about historian Joel A. Rogers, author of the 1934 book 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof, to whom these “amazing facts” are an homage. (The Root) — 100 Amazing Facts…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
