For Odessa Woods and Marty Reynolds, both 71, it's almost impossible to describe the difference between the Washington, D.C., of 1959, when the two friends graduated from Howard University, and the city today, in which they watched Barack Obama take the presidential oath.
"We went through all the civil rights struggles of the '50s and '60s," said Woods, a grandmother from Columbia, Md., who is a retired Social Security employee. "I went to all the marches, the march on Washington. Still, I couldn't believe I would see a black president in my lifetime."
Both graduates of the capital's historically black university were early and ardent Obama supporters, although Woods said she had a hard time getting over her doubts.
"Early on, I was concerned and upset that he was putting himself out there," Woods said. "I didn't believe it could happen. The chances were getting better and better, but still I didn't believe."
Now that history has been made, Reynolds, a retired educator who now lives in Thousand Oaks, Calif., said there was no way she would miss the moment.
"I didn't know how big the march on Washington would be," she said. "We protested all the time - who knew it would be so historic? But I knew this would be historic."
But both women said the theme of Obama's inaugural speech that spoke most to them was his call to the people, asking for help.
"We're expecting change, but it can't come from just him," Reynolds said. "It's got to come from all of us."
Woods said Obama's inauguration is just the first chapter in writing his place in history as the first black U.S. president.
"It's an achievement, but it's not over yet," she said. "There's still a ways to go. Still work for us to do."
Tonight, the college friends will celebrate: Woods is hosting a party for the Howard University class of 1959, whose members have come from far and wide for a truly sweet 50th reunion.
- Coral Davenport
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