Lincoln Memorial, 11/5/08, 12:15 AM
So I couldn't stay home and watch on TV any longer.
With 15 minutes left before Barack Obama was to take the stage in Chicago, I hopped into the car and drove downtown. Thinking everyone would be at the White House, I opted for the Lincoln Memorial instead. As I approached, I could make out in the dark a group of twenty or so folks huddled over a transistor radio, silently listening to the newly elected president begin his remarks.
A transistor radio! With images of 1960 floating through my head, I walked up the steps. There was not a single member of the news media there. Not one. For all the years I've photographed news in Washington, here was this huge moment--one that tens of thousands of people were celebrating together in Grant Park and New York and everywhere else--and we had it all to ourselves: no video lights, no reporters interrupting. Just 20 citizens listening to a transistor radio under the watchful gaze of Abraham Lincoln.
I've witnessed a lot of big news events in the last twenty-three years but this may have been the most honest little moment I've ever been part of.
With time, the band of twenty-six began to disperse, and a new group of five Howard University School of Medicine students arrived, all wearing brightly colored Obama t-shirts. As they hugged and posed for photographs under the gargantuan statue of Abraham Lincoln, I asked one of them, Vanessa Grant, for the first words that came into her head this night and she wasted not a second: "speechless."
It’s a long way, I thought, from the site of the greatest speech ever given to speechless. Thinking that even Dr. King probably got a chuckle out of that one, I smiled and with that I walked back to my car in the drizzle.
Take care,
Matt, 2:39 a.m. Wednesday
matt
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Response: Open ThreadA view on the happenings at the Lincoln Memorial last week waiting for the election results. (via BAGNewsNotes) Now for some housekeeping notes about our masthead: As paradox noted a few weeks ago, he's our main man these days. (Thank you so much, paradox!) Steve continues to be on sabbatical for ...
Reader Comments (27)
BEAUTIFUL
Matt, that is so cool! What a great moment in history. And it may even fuel more catch-phrases. . . "not everyone was at Chicago's Grant Park." Wonderful post.
what an awesome moment matt! just add this post to the list of why you are one of the world's coolest photographers!!
Hi Matt... What a great moment this was! Thanks for capturing these images! This was truly moving to be there standing at the very spot where Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. A truly awesome feeling.
I just got chills.
I heard that the crowd of people at the White house were chanting "Pack your shit pack your shit"
Beautiful picture. Nice Op Ed piece in today's New York Times
Hi Matt,
Funny, I was thinking the same thing yesterday around 1:00 PM your time (I'm in Sweden, UTC+1). I was born in DC, raised in Bethesda, MD, and then lived in DC all but about seven of my 39 years. This is what I said on Twitter and then my blog post, linked from my comment here.
From yesterday (11/5/08):
If I was back in DC I feel like I would go to Lincoln Memorial right now. Don’t know of an event or the weather, but I bet people are also feeling the pull of that historic place. Last time I was drawn there was 9 August 1995 http://is.gd/6qmK when Jerry died. Today has the same power, but a birth, not a death. The wheel is turning. Here’s the [Jerry] complete post: http://chrisco.wordpress.com/2005/08/13/brokedown-palace/.
The wheel is turning and you can’t slow down,
You can’t let go and you can’t hold on,
You can’t go back and you can’t stand still,
If the thunder don’t get you then the lightning will.
Won’t you try just a little bit harder,
Couldn’t you try just a little bit more?
Won’t you try just a little bit harder,
Couldn’t you try just a little bit more?
Cheers,
Chris Comella
Gothenburg, Sweden, but maybe moving back in DC in '09
PS: I'm really glad you went and answered this question:, Who was there? I would have been there if I was home in DC instead in Sweden. This one links to my 1995 Lincoln Memorial pics (when Jerry Garcia died). As I recall there were at least a hundred people passing through when my friend Ben and I were down there.
Another Op Ed piece in the New York Times!!! Nice work Matt!
Seriously an amazing photo. Breathtaking.
I loved your photo. Your comments were very poignant. Thank you.
Hi Matt,
Some years ago we visited DC with our family. I clearly remember the spiritual quality of the atmosphere at the Lincoln Memorial.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos capturing the truly spiritual quality of the results of this election !
Nan's Mom
To repeat Vaness Grant,s words 'speech less" thanks Charlie for sending this to me ! Linda
I was watching the returns on tv from my Manassas home when CNN showed a quick long-shot of the Lincoln Memorial and mentioned people gathering there. My mind flashed back to '68 when my father made me sit down to watch MJK, jr's speech from there.
I thought to myself that this is the most significant and honest spontaneous moment I've ever seen in DC. I grabbed my cameras but never made it to my car -- living so far from town I didn't think I'd make it.
I'm so happy you did Matt. It's one of those moments that rarely come about -- and a photo for history.
Now it's a year later. So much for the revolution. The candidate who was elected on hope, and promise has shown neither. Same old politics with a nasty Chicago twist. it seems the rhetoric of the candidate was all he had. Or perhaps he has come to realize that life and the job are not made up of sound bites and flowery phrases. War, the economy, running a government is much harder thatn it looks. Time to start learning.
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