Esther Haygood, 77, and her friend Dorothy Reddick, 72, stood outside the Atwood Concert Hall where Martin Luther King Jr. was being celebrated, dressed in their Sunday best.
Even though it was history that was being remembered inside, the septuagenarians were preoccupied with thoughts of the future.
Haywood never believed it would happen in her lifetime.
Reddick said she plans to be glued to her television all day Tuesday.
As Anchorage celebrated King on Sunday afternoon at the annual MLK Foundation of Alaska commemoration, it was rejoicing in the future of President-elect Barack Obama, who takes office on Tuesday.
The event drew hundreds of people to three-hours of gospel music and political and religious speakers at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts.
Rev. Alonzo Patterson, president of the foundation, made the theme for this year "The Year of the Awakening Dream," referring to King's famous "I Have A Dream" speech.
At one point, he stood in front of the crowd and three times, one after the other, dramatically, in his deep baritone voice, extolled: "We are awake and it is no longer a dream. We are awake and it is no longer a dream. We are awake and it is no longer a dream."
Filipino community leader Nez Danguilan told the crowd, "Finally, the change has come. The color barrier is finally coming down."
Anchorage public schools superintendent Carol Comeau said, "We are here today in an absolutely transformational week. Forty years ago, we lost Dr. King but his work and that of his followers truly paved the way for the election of Barack Obama."
She said that everyone, especially the young, should learn Obama's story. "The Obama family truly represents possibilities for all Americans, regardless of where one comes from."
And, assemblywoman Sheila Selkregg told the audience old stories about marching for equal rights and the stigma marchers would wear afterward, even in Anchorage. "Today that stigma is gone," she said.
She reminded listeners, though, not to sit back. "We are awake but there are more dreams. There is more to do. We are each called to do more in everything we think, in everything we do."
Jan. 15 marked what would have been King's 80th birthday.
"I've seen a lot in my lifetime," Haywood said.
"I just thank God, thank God for Obama. ... it's a new time and a new day."
Find Megan Holland online at adn.com/contact/mholland or call 257-4343.
By MEGAN HOLLAND
mholland@adn.com