Democracy on Pleasant Street

On this day, exactly 62 years ago, was one of the most dramatic elections in United States history. And, yes, that story began here in Independence, Missouri. I was actually reminded of this anniversary this morning on National Public Radio. November 2, 1948, Harry Truman, accompanied with Bess, Margaret, and several Secret Service personnel, walked one block east to the Memorial Building from his home on Delaware Street. Imagine being a student in Palmer Junior High sitting in a classroom on that day and having the teacher interrupt the lesson plan to direct students toward the windows or to the sidewalk to witness the President and his entourage marching across Pleasant Street towards the Memorial Building, scaling 16 stair steps to the front doors of the building to cast his vote for himself. This would be quite a lesson in civics. I’m sure that would be an image hard to forget every time you would cast a vote from that point on. A.G. Sulzberger, journalist with the New York Times, recently reminded us that our local history is actually very important to the nation. The physical evidence of that story is presented to the nation in our built environment; our sidewalks, the old courthouse, school buildings, neighborhood blocks, church steeples, and some of our Section 8 government-subsidized rental property. We should appreciate the national and international attention we get from the National Archives, the Truman Library, the National Park Service, and the New York Times. But let’s work together as a community to make sure that attention is positive. On that note and in the spirit of the 1948 election, support democracy, be sure to vote today.