As the National Anthem was performed during the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama yesterday, more than 40 residents placed their hands over their hearts and sang in unison with the thousands in attendance at the national ceremony.

But the small group wasn’t in Washington, D.C. It was packed in the L.H. Jones Auditorium celebrating the historical inauguration of the first black president in unity, locally.

The J.J. Jones Alumni, Surry County NAACP and VISIONS sponsored the event which included refreshments and a large screen television for people to watch the inauguration.

Lorie Lindsley, her husband, Stephen Lindsley, and their two sons had plans to attend the inauguration in D.C. yesterday, but with a sick dog at home, they opted to stay in town. Whether in the nation’s capital or in Mount Airy, Lindsley said she wanted to share the historical moment with others.

“This is a huge deal for the country,” said Lindsley, who volunteered on the local Obama and Biden campaign during the elections. “I am so happy about it, I wanted to share that with others and it’s neat to see so many people come together. Obama inspired me because of his ability to bring people of all walks of life together, and we need that now more than ever. My children will have a brighter future with him leading.”

Cordie Armstrong, 46, also attended the event and said she felt summoned to celebrate the inauguration in a community setting rather than at home.

“I have a large TV at home,” she said. “But I was drawn to be here ... it’s that spirit of fellowship, I needed to be here.”

Armstrong said watching the inauguration in public with others in the community seemed to confirm what she never imagined could be a reality.

“I never thought it would happen — ever. You dream about it, you hope for it, but I never thought it was possible in my lifetime, ” she said.

Emma Jean Tucker, 65, agreed with Armstrong and added that she wished her parents and grandparents were alive to see the day a man of color would become president.

“I almost didn’t come, ” she said, tearfully. “I knew I would cry, I have mixed emotions, I’m excited and proud. This reminds me of a little saying my grandmother used to say ‘riding on hope,’ and that’s what we’ve been doing — riding on hope.”

And, riding hope is what Cama Merritt did as a young woman growing up in segregation in the South. Attending the inauguration celebration at the L.H. Jones Auditorium reminded her of the social and racial changes she’s witnessed through the years.

As a white college student in the 1940s in Georgia, Merritt used to meet her black college friends secretly, in fear that a public union might mean trouble.

“We had to be careful when we met, because we knew if the Georgia government found out, (it) would have been outraged,” the 80-year-old said. “Segregation was wrong, and we were in need of a change. The feelings were so strong that whites and blacks couldn’t mix. And now, it’s so precious to have an African-American to become president.”

For the youths who are less familiar with segregation and racial discrimination, and why it makes the inauguration of a black so significant, she said they should still hold this historic moment close in their hearts.

“I want young people to know the history and learn from the history,” she said. “We must always be vigilant and never allow prejudice to diminish the rights of each person for equal protection under the law.”

Contact Erin C. Perkins at eperkins@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.