Most historic thing you were an eyewitness to? — Page 2

Obama victory speech in Chicago is yuge.

SF - in Chicago that day it was 70. I walked to Grant Park early in the day but watched the speech from home. Our kids were younger and we wanted to celebrate with them.

Watching national guard troops break up fights in my town in 1970 over the forced desegregation of public schools. I was in the inaugural class that year. To this day, there remains a generation of townsfolk who privately refer to the old white and black schools in town. I was too young to understand the ramifications of it all back then. I now fear that the fight for LGBT rights in NC will engender similar fisticuffs. Both then and now, simpletons in high places elect to use the Holy Bible to justify their bigotry.

Updated On: 4/8/16 at 05:35 PM

9/11. Saw it all from my classroom window.

Opening Night of "Hello,Dolly!" 1/16/64.

The suicide of an audience member during a performance of Verdi 's "Macbeth". As I recall the man's name wad Banco Banchevski.

Updated On: 4/9/16 at 10:44 PM

I saw Marlene Dietrich fall into the orchestra pit at the Shady Grove Music Fair, November 1973. She injured her left thigh, necessitating subsequent skin grafts to allow the wound to heal. I'm not being glib. It was a horrifying sight. It's a theater in the round, I was very close, and as she leaned down to shake the conductor's hand, she plummeted head first into the pit. The next few moments, after voiced horror, were unlike any I've experienced in a theater. We assumed she was dead or unconscious. She was finally propped up to reveal she was conscious. Everyone stood and cheered. And then she barked "Go home!" And disappeared below, like a puppet. We filed out in silence.


It's not history, except it involved an iconic performer. An indelible memory.

Updated On: 4/11/16 at 06:04 PM

I was at Mile High Stadium in Denver for Obama's nomination acceptance.