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Maya Angelou in Boone

Maya Angelou presented a performance in Boone tonight.  There was some snow on the ground and a chill in the air, but the Holmes Center on the campus of Appalachian State University was full of buzz.  I went up there expecting to be part of maybe 50 or so people to hear this distinguished author, poet, playwright, and movie producer.  Instead, I wound up in a great bee-hive of perhaps 2,000 to 3,000 vibrantly electric beings who were spilling happiness and laughter and busyness accompanied by flash pictures of themselves all over the place.

Then the program began.  At one point the first speaker mentioned that “perhaps some of you here saw the inauguration of President Obama yesterday . . .” and at that instant a huge roar rose from the students, as if Obama himself had appeared on stage for a moment and slam-dunked the winning goal.  Wow.

Then followed music, singing, dancing by a group of young ladies clad only in flimsily flowing black dresses. Then a group of black women, probably in their late teens or early twenties, each proclaimed in various ways that “I am woman!”  Finally, Maya Angelou rode her wheel chair onto the stage.

So this night was a great conjunction of amazing events, all of which would not have been possible when our country was formed, a grand commemoration of the reverend Martin Luther King, Jr, and of the anniversary of Roe-v-Wade, and the second inauguration of President Obama.  Maya Angelou told some tales of her own voyage through life, and implored the students before her to study and learn to shed those "Chains of Ignorance", to develop courage like one learns to lift weights, and to respect ALL human beings.  She read only a couple of her poems but they were placed within other urgings from her.  “You are better than you think you are”, and “You represent ALL human beings”.  And she saluted all of us, we the Heroes and Sheroes of the world.

Then back into the chilly night for a quick ride back down to Hickory.