Many more of us got to witness history Tuesday, shuttered inside as we were due to snow.

It was a day to set aside politics and rejoice at the swearing in of Barack Obama, the first African American president.

Two miles away and 46 years ago on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream.

And Tuesday, we were closer to mending the tear in our cultural fabric, the tear that comes about due to history and the failings of the human heart.

I take seriously the work that still needs to be done. But for a moment, we could see the dream in sight, and sing the words of the anthem of the Civil Rights Movement, “We shall overcome.”

I listened to King’s speech recently during the observation of his birthday and was struck by his overwhelming hope and belief in the human spirit. He truly believed in the best of human nature. I found it to be almost like a tonic.

And that’s what Tuesday was. There is something about ceremonial events that allow us to dream and hope again.

In the midst of some of the worst problems our nation has faced since World World II, we could come together as a people and celebrate our ideals.

I got to watch the inauguration with my eight-year-old son John, dressed in his snow clothes, ready to hit the white stuff.

John had been scheduled to wear red, white and blue and eat an American cheese and ham sandwich with his white, black and brown classmates.

Instead, he was at home with me due to the  5 inches of snow that blanketed the ground.

He especially liked Rev. Joseph Lowery's benediction where Lowery added some humor to his prayer calling for a day of equality: “when black isn’t asked to give back; when yellow isn’t mellow; when brown can stick around; when the red man can get ahead man and when white would embrace what is right.”

I’m old enough to remember segregated schools. But I also remember integration, and the new black friends I made.

But the inaguration, like integration, not only was celebratory, but a challenge to live up to those the victories, to let my heart grow bigger. To do, as Lowery called for, "what is right."

I wonder with hope and dreams at what hurdles we’ll jump in the world as far as human relations go when my son is my age.

And to borrow some more of Lowery’s thunder: “Let all those who do justice and love mercy, say Amen, say Amen and Amen.”

What do you get when 6 inches of snow collides with a historic
presidential inauguration? Eye-popping television ratings in the
Triangle.

The Nielsen numbers show that the Raleigh-Durham TV market had the largest concentration of viewers watching President Barack Obama's inauguration of anywhere else in the nation -- a higher percentage than even Obama's hometown of Chicago.

More than 51% of the snowbound Triangle's households ...

Eight readers offer their thoughts on the inauguration of Barack Obama. These letters appear online-only.

More than 350 people left downtown Raleigh on Jan. 19 on tour buses, headed to Washington, D.C., for the Presidential Inauguration.

See photos from various inaugural balls in Washington, D.C..

See photos of Barack Obama taking the oath of office and delivering his inaugural speech.

Hear Barack Obama's first speech as President.

See an audio slide show of President Barack Obama taking the oath of office and delivering his inaugural speech.

Much had been made about the pressure on Barack Obama to deliver an address as awe-inspiring as his campaign and election. Did he deliver? Here are some snippets I picked up. I'm not using quote marks because I might not have jotted them down correctly. What will you remember from the speech?

 * We are consumed by a nagging fear that our decline is inevitable, our challenges are real, serious and many ... but know this, America, they will be met.

* But we've chosen hope over fear and a unity of purpose over discord

* The time has come to set aside childish things ... and to recognize a God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness

* Greatness is never a given; it must be earned.

* Men and women obscure in their labor carried us up the ladder of prosperity.

*Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin the work of remaking America.

* There are some who question the scale of our ambition ... but their memories are short ... the ground has shifted beneath them.

* The question today is not whether government is too big or too small, but whether it works.  ... Where (the answer is) yes, we move forward. Where no, programs will end.

* A nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.

* As for our common defense, we reject as false a choice between our safety and our ideals.

* To all other peoples, know that America is a friend to each nation. ... We are ready to lead once more.

* We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver it its defense.

* We know that our patchwork heritage is a strength ... we've been shaped by every language and culture. ... As our world grows smaller, our mutual humanity must reveal itself.

* To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

* Let us mark this day in remembrance of who we are and how far we've traveled.

Elizabeth Alexander delivered the official Inaugural Poem today, but with all due respect, this one is still our favorite (from Chocolate News). We've posted it before, but for the sake of comic relief, it's worth another look - here at Comedy Central. So, on this historic day... "Hosanna Obama!"