Hundreds Celebrate Obama's Inauguration, King Holiday At DuSable Museum
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Hundreds of people packed one of the nation's largest African-American museums on Monday to watch President Barack Obama's inaugural address.
CBS 2's Jim Williams reports the auditorium at the DuSable Museum of African American History was so crowded some people had to be turned away.
Though it was Obama's second inauguration, there was no less enthusiasm from the crowd, which stood and cheered as they watched a live telecast of the inaugural proceedings.
Jennifer Armstrong said she was not surprised how crowded it was at the museum.
"I know that many people feel just like I do," she said.
The museum's lobby and an overflow room were packed, because there was not one empty seat in the main auditorium.
"It's just all the symbolism; I work with young people, so for them to see what they can become, and … it happens on Dr. King's Day, all the work, it's just wonderful," Josephine Robinson said.
Many mentioned the inauguration falling on the Martin Luther King Holiday as added incentive to be at one of the nation's main centers of black history.
"Since I wasn't able to travel to D.C., I thought I'd come out here and watch it for the rest of my fellow African Americans," Armstrong said.
When a technical glitch disrupted the transmission of James Taylor singing "America the Beautiful," the crowd didn't miss a beat, and sang the lyrics themselves.
It was that kind of morning.
"It was just incredible to see that in a huge group of enthusiastic people," Anna Bednarski said.
The DuSable Museum normally is closed on Mondays, with an exception: the annual Dr. King holiday celebration. Historians there linked the president's inauguration with lectures and special exhibits.
