by Bonnie Biocchi, Executive Director

The familiar words of this poem were written in 1893 by Katherine Lee Bates after crossing the country on a grand tour. Some might assume that when she wrote it, it was a kinder, gentler, simpler time in America. In reality, Jim Crow laws were in full force, women did not have the right to vote, the financial panic of 1893 had bankrupted thousands of families, labor strikes were taking hold across the land and the Chinese Exclusion Act had been adopted, effectively ending immigration from that country for nearly a century. America was arguably not the beautiful place described in this poem.

Despite these challenges, America continued to grow and prosper. In fact, about twenty million people emigrated to America between 1880 and 1920. Why did they come here? What made them leave their ancestral lands, many knowing that they would never again see their parents and grandparents, their aunts and uncles, their neighbors and friends? They came for a promise: the promise of a better life.

There are many today who question whether America has lost her way. They wonder If the dream has died and the promise of a better life no longer exists.  The past two election cycles have shown that there is a great and growing divide in this nation. About fifty percent of our citizens do not agree with the other fifty percent. For the second time in recent memory, almost every poll got it wrong, predicting a double-digit win for Joe Biden.  There will be much analysis of this phenomenon in the coming months and hopefully a soul-searching on both sides of the aisle. With over 145 million people casting their vote, one thing is clear, Americans want a voice in how this country runs and still desire self-governance.

I believe America still holds a promise. Yes, we have the legacy of slavery and yes, racism persists. Yes, there are many people who live in poverty and many who are disenfranchised and yes, we need to address the effects of climate change. We would also do well to remember the sacrifices of millions of Americans over the years who dedicated their lives to ensure freedom and liberty and who strove for the betterment of society. While we still have far to go, let’s not forget the rivers we’ve forded and the mountains we’ve crossed to secure that dream.

The promise of America is in our commitment to freedom and the pursuit of happiness. The promise of America lies in the middle ground between two opposing points of view which will continue to transform this nation. If we come together, we will be able to tackle our problems and this great experiment of democracy will not fail. It is my deep hope that the new administration will be able to bridge this growing divide and that soon all of America’s citizens will be able to live out the words of this now cherished song. As for me, I still think America is beautiful - scars and all.