Wednesday, January 21, 2009
News Dr. Lowery's inaugural benediction riffs on the blues
Posted by Wyatt Williams @wyatt_williams on Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 5:28 PM
I'll be the first to admit to being less than familiar with former Atlanta resident Dr. Joseph Lowery prior to yesterday's stirring Inaugural benediction. By the time I started laughing through the tears he'd wrenched out of my otherwise cynical heart, though, I figured I should find out more.
A Civil Rights Movement veteran of the highest order, Dr. Lowery led the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965 on the request of Martin Luther King Jr., helped lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott after Rosa Parks' arrest, and continued his involvement into the Free South Africa movement. He was among the first arrested in anti-apartheid demonstrations at the South African Embassy. Oh, and unlike that other Inaugural speaker Rick Warren, his notion of civil rights actually includes the LGBT community.
While Dr. Lowery's closing remarks brought a lighthearted note to an otherwise somber ceremony, they also riff on a great song — Big Bill Broonzy's country-blues classic "Black, Brown, and White." Though Fox News is doing their best to stir up a controversy, I'm willing to bet they didn't even get the reference.
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
Comments (4)
Showing 1-4 of 4
Anybody catch Wolf Blitzer's referencing the Birmingham Bus Boycott? Of the eight or so people at the bar watching the parade, at least four of us gave an immediate "Huh?"
like
dislike
I just want to thank you for citing the Big Bill Broonzy reference. When I heard Rev. Lowry using it, I laughed out loud. It was good to hear humor in his benediction. I'm surprised that no other "news" outlets seem to get it. I'm just a white guy in s/w Wisconsin and I got it.
Latest in Fresh Loaf
-
'Ex-gays' gather outside Atlanta this weekend 6
Meanwhile human rights groups fight the notion that "ex-gay" is a thing
-
CNN cancels Atlanta debate 3
Everybody cry
-
ARC's new map of transportation-tax projects is suitable for framing 6
Voters will decide 1-cent sales tax measure in July
- More »
Author Archives
-
H&M thieves from EAV artist, gets caught by the Internet 6
The latest chapter of corporate retailers stealing from Atlanta-based artists
-
Finalists announced for 2012 Townsend Prize
Atlantans Josh Russell, Lynn Cullen, Collin Kelly, and others are among the finalists shortlisted for the 2012 Townsend Prize
- More »
