On Jan. 20, President Barack Obama was sworn into office before an estimated crowd of 1.5 million people. Among those present were a few students from HBCUs who were in attendance on behalf of the “Road To Change Tour.”
The tour was a ten-day educational bus journey from Houston, Texas to Washington, D.C., which documented the historic presidential inauguration. Eight Prairie View students, along with one Morehouse student, and one student from Emory were part of the crew. The tour’s platform was based on Barack Obama’s idea for change, and how each individual can contribute to change in a unique way.
The schools visited on this tour were Texas Southern University, University of Texas at Austin, Alcorn University, Jackson State University, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse, and Tuskegee University.
While at the universities, the students were involved in a series of “roundtable discussions.” They discussed a variety of issues, including homosexuality, problems within the black family, college tuition, natural disasters, and relationships. The experience was truly one-of-a-kind for the students.
Senior psychology major Aida Fall who participated in the tour said, “The trip was an amazing, eye opening, and educational experience. The whole experience was unbelievable and I am glad to have experienced it. I have made remarkable friends.”
The tour’s impact was so effective that the students were able to receive some publicity from the media including Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, and also Channel 26 News.
Even though the attention was primarily focused on President Obama, many of the students didn’t get to see him in person. In fact, Desmond Taylor, a senior mass communications major at Prairie View A&M University, was the only one who actually got to see Obama with the naked eye. When asked about the feeling he got when he saw Obama, he claimed “It is one face that my eyes will never forget seeing. I will cherish that moment for the rest of my life. I must give special thanks to Okey Chidume, the tour’s sponsor, because it wouldn’t have been possible without him putting it together.” The students were able to attend a private inauguration watch party at Union Station.
This project is the first of many expected to capture stories of change from across the globe, and reflect the overall positive progress of the global community. Even though the students enjoyed their tour, they had one more roundtable discussion to attend. The final discussion was held here at Prairie View A&M University on Jan. 26.