Antoinette Dreckette, a Jamaican living in the United States, prepares to board a flight to New York in time to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th US president. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

A black-and-white chequered cloak slung over her arm, Antoinette Dreckette was ready to board her flight to New York in the United States from the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday.

This morning at 2, she and friends would have begun the journey to Washington to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the US.

"I never knew in my lifetime I would have seen this (a black man becoming president of the US)," Dreckette told The Gleaner.

Brave the snow

Jamaican by birth and a naturalised citizen of the US, Dreckette opted to fly out of the island after two days to be a part of the celebrations.

She is willing to brave the snow, with today's forecast in Washing-ton said to be scattered snow flurries, with a high of 30°F and low of 19°F. Yesterday morning, the temperature was around 30°F.

"I could never stay in the house, even if it means going through five layers of snow," said Dreckette, who is a fraud investigator with the city department in New York.

Historic event

Dreckette initially planned a celebratory party at her home in New York, but decided a few days ago to ditch friends and relatives and travel to the Capitol to view the historic event in person.

While many are not able to travel to Washington like Dreckette, other Jamaicans here have been expressing their joy at seeing an African American take office in the White House.

Several persons have been wearing buttons, engraved 'Renewing hope', and a picture of Obama, while some have been driving around with bumper stickers.

shelly-ann.thompson@gleanerjm.com