Yesterday was quite a day. To me, the atmosphere mirrored a neighborhood block party, where neighbors you know well and those you’ve really never even seen before all get together and enjoy each other’s company. Even those who might not have voted for President Obama or agreed with the policies he espouses were caught up in the historic context of the day.

My 13-year-old daughter was not as interested as I imagined she would be. She’s aware of the history of slavery in the U.S., of course, but in a very general, vague sort of way. She hasn’t studied the Civil War, segregation or the civil rights movement in school yet. As a result, the inauguration of our first black president really wasn’t that impressive for her.

I was a little worried about that at first. But then I realized that it’s probably a good thing that our having a black president is no big deal from her perspective. That’s how prejudice is overcome-by people who see no reason for it.