Dear Momma,
You said your eye operation will be tomorrow so I know I have to hurry for you to see my message. Don't be nervous about this operation it is laser these days, no going to hospital and having them cut off like in the old days. I know you will have butterflies in your stomach is anyone going to hospital with you I know if Aloma was there she would and I certainly would myself. You don't know how guilty I have felt over the years because you could have used my help or support and here I am stuck out here can't do anything for you.

Will you be able to see any of Obama Inauguration there is a lot of celebration going on in Washington DC I saw where they had a big concert on the Washington Mall. Thousands of people were there to hear the music and those that couldn't were just there to be a part of history. I bet in all your years you never thought you would ever see a black president. I can remember when I was small you said "coloured people would never rule" I forget what relative you were quoting maybe you can tell me.

I just saw some 90 year old people on TV just now talking about they never knew this day would come and they were happy to have lived so long to see a black man become the head of this country. They were 6 old people who had lived through Katrina all over 90. One old lady when she was asked what question she could ask President Obama if she could she said that she would love to have a dance with him!

When I see all the old black people I realise they live much longer and in better condition than old white people if they live so long. Those 90 year old ladies had little if any wrinkles in their faces and they certainly have all their buttons. I am so glad Dr. Simmons finally convinced you that you are of sound mind we can't help being a nervous people we have always been highly strung can't change nature can you.

I know I have plenty of years left and so do you look at all the examples you have around you black women have had to put up with so much and many are raising grandchildren and even some great-grands because there is no choice and they just have to do what they have to do.

I know you don't like the term black people like they say these days, because we come up in the age when calling coloured people black was a great insult and we always had our dignity and rose above white people in the way we did things and had our respect about one another. I think about all the coloured ladies that helped me when I was small and they always encouraged me to behave and that education was the way out of being the underdog.

I remember Aunt Catherine telling me to put my legs together when she saw me standing up with my legs apart, telling me ladies didn't stand up that way.

I remember Uncle Freddie helping all my cousins to study and get ahead and everyone of them got a good education. He knew education was the way out for coloured people and he was right.

I remember Nurse Richardson and how dignified she was and how she was a much-revered person in our community because she became a nurse when few coloured people knew how to go about it. They are all gone now and if I wrote about everyone I knew and looked up to back in those days this would be a very long book to read.

I also remember we had discrimination in Bermuda even we seemed to know where we were wanted and stayed out of where we were not wanted. None of us "bucked" the system. When we went to town you knew where all the toilets were and we always managed to sneak past and use Smith's (or was it Triminghams?) toilet which was pink inside and where the white people came and went they thought nothing of it but it was a big thing for us, being able to use the bathroom where darker people couldn't get away with it. No one challenged us nor Aloma either.

We always went to Spot or Blue Moon to eat, I never knew at the time but there were few places we as coloured people could go into and we certainly kept our place and stayed where we belonged. We never had the nerve to be loud and make people notice us when there were white people around. I also remember the riots of 1968 and how we were at the party in Hamilton or fair or whatever it was and you grabbed us and said it was time for us to leave. I was there where it all started and while there are things that I wasn't able to remember maybe you can. Or was it 1965 I can't remember

Anyway I can go on and on but this is why Obama a black man to be president means so much to me and millions of other people who remember the old days, and grandparents who were in the trenches in the 30's, 40's and 50's like you were.

All this comes to mind on a day like today when it is Martin Luther Kings 40th year since "I have a Dream" speech. It is a great pity he didn't live to see this day, he would have rejoiced to see Barack Obama be made President, a coloured person just like us.

I hope you are able to see the swearing-in ceremony tomorrow even tho one of your eyes will be bandaged up. I wish all the old people all long gone, could have seen this day for themselves.

President Obama certainly has his work cut out for him he has so much on his plate but today and tomorrow we can celebrate where he came from and what he is about to do

Momma this is a great and long letter and I know you like long letters to read so I hope you are happy with this one hehehe love always Linda xoxoxoxo