Hundreds of people in the Tri-state will sleep well Wednesday night, dreaming of the history they witnessed in Washington, D.C.
They were among an estimated one million people who witnessed Tuesday's inauguration of Barack Obama in person.
"What we saw was truly American," said attorney Stan Chesley, who was in the 20th row for the swearing-in because he donated $50,000 to the Inauguration Committee.
Chesley said he won't soon forget the peaceful transfer of power that brought people to tears.
"When you saw senior citizens, people 70 or 80-years-old, African Americans, crying their eyes out – it was something to behold," he said. "I was electrified."
That sense of energy was readily apparent to the Reverend Alfonza Jones, director of ministries at the Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church in Woodlawn.He and about hundreds of members of the church community arrived home around 7 a.m. Wednesday morning.
"All kinds of different colors of people were excited about being there," Rev. Jones said. "It's going to move people to start doing some things that they've been itching to do."
Church trustee Pamela Harrison agreed.
"People were just cheering and waving flags and waving banners and just jumping for joy," she added.
Sixty-five members of the Highlands High School Choir were back at school Wednesday, as well, after a whirlwind weekend where their ensembles performed three times.
The buses got back to Fort Thomas at 3:00 a.m. and by mid-morning many wore exhausted expressions on their faces.That didn't stop them from gazing at pictures taken at the Bluegrass Ball.
"It was awesome," said Justin Luttrell, the choir's president. "I never sang for so many influential figures in my life."
Madison McGhee said there were 1,400 people at the ball, including boxing great Muhammad Ali, whom the choir members got a chance to meet.
Choir director Katie Cook said the reception the students received was amazing.
"They clapped. They loved the kids," Cook said. "As the kids were leaving, they clapped again."
Other performances helped the choir win three gold medals in competition with other ensembles.
Attending the inauguration only heightened the experience.
"Everybody was just happy," Brett Neal said. "It seemed like they were proud of their country."
His sister, Bridget, said it was a good feeling to see everyone smiling.
"We hugged perfect strangers because we were just into the atmosphere," she said.
While memories of the performances and sharing the inauguration with hundreds of thousands of people will last a lifetime, the real work is turing President Barack Obama's dream of hope into reality.
It's a challenge that everyone seems to be taking to heart – especially the call for a new era of personal responsibility.
"It means you've got to move forward no matter what," Luttrell said. "Going into bigger and better things."
Harrison said she left Washington, D.C. inspired to do great things in Cincinnati.
"We for so long have shifted responsibility to point the finger at somebody," she said. "Now, it's time for us to own up to our responsibilities – and take a stand."
Rev. Jones said he saw people coming together in unity to work for the common good.
"Where there's unity, there is power – and where there's power, there is strength – and where there is strength, there is peace," he concluded.
