This morning I called my father, who has worked diligently on the Obama campaign, to share in his joy at the election results. We talked about some of the efforts he and my mom made over the years and he reminded me of a time when a cross was burned on our front yard in Detroit.  In the mid-60's my mother, Georgia Neubrecht, was dedicated to welcoming the black families that were moving into our neighborhood. There was strong opposition to an integrated community and whites were fleeing to the suburbs. My mother was determined to save Detroit, which she dearly loved and knew that if all the wealth fled it would have disastrous consequences. She talked to her neighbors, went to churches, PTA, League of Women Voter meetings and elsewhere, urging the community to welcome black citizens into the community. For this my parents were rewarded with a burning cross in our front yard.

The morning of this discovery, my father took down the cross and told my mother to pretend that nothing had happened. They didn’t tell my sister or me about it and my father told my mother that it would be best to forget about it and pretend it never happened. Keep it from us they did and I didn’t learn about the incident until I was 42 and we were planning my mother’s memorial service. However, my mother was not one to back down. My dad said that when he returned from work that day, he found that my mom had contacted all the local ministers. She had spoken with each, telling them about the event and imploring them to openly denounce such activities to their congregations.

Yesterday, we had a birthday party for Rita and Rose. It was their 6th and if my mother had lived to see these girls, she would have adored them. Her children and grandchildren were her biggest sources of pride and joy. However, I know that had she been living, if I had asked her to help with the party, she would have said “no way”. She would have been out their working on behalf of Obama until the polls closed without a minute to spare.

As a tireless fighter for civil rights and world peace, were she alive today, my mother would be reveling in yesterday’s victory. Throughout my life, I marveled at her ability to remain optimistic in the face of what sometimes seemed like overpowering bigotry and right-wing domination. This morning is proof to me that her efforts and the efforts of many others were not in vain. My mother was such an activist that I can’t imagine her afterlife being one of complacency. If she’s out there, she’s actively working to better some part of the universe. I imagine that she’s looked down on us this morning, smiled and briefly embraced the moment. One mission accomplished now on to other needed work. I think Obama has inspired that kind of attitude in many of us and with him at the helm, we’re up for the challenge.