‘Waddie’ inspires hope for social progress

Staff Reporter

Published: Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Updated: Thursday, September 2, 2010 08:09

The Common Read for AASU's 2010-2011 school year, "Waddie Welcome & the Beloved Community," is a resonating glimpse at a mission accomplished and a life cherished. And at a slight 77 pages, authors Tom Kohler and Susan Earl ask very little of their readers in exchange for a brief commune with Welcome's effervescent spirit.

The story presented by Kohler and Earl depicts Waddie Welcome's transition from a victim of bureaucracy and disability to a prominent public figure.

Welcome, a resident of Savannah since the mid-1920s, passed away at the age of 86 as one of the longest-living Americans with cerebral palsy. The book focuses on the last few years of Welcome's life, when he made incredible strides in social activism in the community of the disabled with the unwavering support of citizen advocates around the city.

"Waddie Welcome & the Beloved Community" is subtle, modest and powerful in its efforts, much like the man himself.

The book essentially reads like a fascinating eulogy and memorializes Welcome with an admirable combination of sentimentality and thoughtful content.

Sparse handfuls of exposition on Welcome's life of cerebral palsy and activism share the pages with poignant photographs of moments that are obviously cherished by all those involved.

The mixture of full-page photos, essential commentary and revealing captions highlights a beautifully balanced realization of the authors' devotion.

Welcome's rise from near obscurity to a noble activist is further elaborated by the almost unfathomable dedication that community leaders and average citizens alike expend on this single man and his cause.

The community as a character in itself particularly inspires awe. It is an aspect of "Waddie Welcome" that defies the reader to return to any perspective that is apathetic or otherwise unaffected.

Welcome's journey appears on the page as a testament to perseverance in the face of hardships. It is seemingly insurmountable as well as hopeful for social progress, however incremental its execution.

Whether you read Mr. Welcome's story or simply glance over the wonderful compilation of photos, "Waddie Welcome & the Beloved Community" tells a universal story. It marks how far we have come as individuals and how far we can go as a beloved community.

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