It was an historic day to remember.

At the Hampton Inn and Suites in Manteca, general manager Terry Pierce marked Monday’s second oath-of-office administered to President Barrack Obama earlier in the day with a black-tie gala event.

Special guests included Pastor Cynthia Jackson of the local Transformed Through Hope Ministries.

“Since we couldn’t be there, we’re bringing Washington, D.C., to Manteca,” said the keynote speaker who originally hailed from Chicago.

Pierce, who came to Manteca via Atlanta, was thrilled that the inauguration was held in conjunction with the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. He indicated that the day honoring the slain Civil Rights leader was significant because it helped pave the way for the first-ever African-American U.S. President.

“It’s perfect,” Pierce said. “We’re fortunate to be part of history.”

The Hampton Inn featured an elegant buffet with candlelight, a live band (Tom Scott of Fresno) in the lobby, a professional photographer, and about 60 folks, both local and outside the area – try San Francisco, Los Angeles, Fresno and Sacramento.

Pierce noted that he chose to host the event for those who shared the same sentiment to be in the nation’s capital but were unable to attend.

He heard President’s inauguration address earlier in the day and came away inspired.

Included was one eloquent quote.

“We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of faith or origins of our names,” said Obama in his 18-minute speech. “What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago.”