NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — A native son from Western New York has been chosen to give the benediction at next week's inauguration of President-elect Joseph Biden.
Reverend Dr. Silvester Beaman is a graduate of Niagara Falls High School and a longtime friend of the Biden family. Reverend Beaman's mother still lives in Niagara Falls as well as his mother-in-law and five of his eight siblings.
"Niagara Falls is very dear to me. When I go home, I go to Viola’s to pick up my sub, I go to Mr. Ventry’s to get my pizza. ... I go to Ted’s to get my hot dogs," Pastor Beamen told 2 On Your Side Friday.
That's a lighter note to the historic task he will undertake on Wednesday, delivering the final prayer that will end the inauguration ceremony for President-elect Joe Biden.
"He said, 'Are you available to do the benediction at the inauguration?' I said, 'Am I available? (laugh) Yes, I’m available Mr. President (chuckle),' " Beaman said, recalling the phone call he had with President-elect Biden on January 3 before the events at the U.S. Capitol.
Ultimately that event, Beaman says, changed his mindset about what he would pray for. While he hasn't finished his script he offered an example of what he hopes to say next Wednesday.
"As a people, we need to learn how to live, love, heal, reconcile in this country and it belongs to all of us. I’m hoping that kind of line or thought would prick the hearts of people and say wait let's pump the breaks, let's slow down and give this President a chance," Beaman said.
Beaman says several people from his Niagara Falls roots have reached out to congratulate him, including a former Falls teacher. He credits a lot of things to his experience in the Niagara Falls City School District.
"We moved a lot so I started at Beech Avenue School, then 10th Street, 17th Street, South Jewett, North Jewett, and finally graduated from Niagara Falls High," Beaman explained.
After graduating from Boston University in the mid-80s, Pastor Beaman got his start at Bethel Lackawanna AME Church, where he worked from June 1985 to October 1986. He called his time in Lackawanna "formative" and recalled the small but passionate 35-person congregation.
"I can remember we had a terrible snowstorm. ... I didn’t think I’d see anybody but thought I'd go there [to church]. But when I got there Sunday morning the sidewalk was cleared, the parking lot was cleared," Beaman said.
After Lackawanna, Beaman moved to be a pastor in Bermuda, then Wilmington, Delaware, where he first met then-Senator Joe Biden while campaigning. Beaman stayed closed with the Bidens, assisted in Beau Biden's run for Delaware Attorney General, and spoke at his funeral.
During Joe Biden's presidential run in 2008 and his eventual slide to supporting Barack Obama, Beaman and his family were invited as guests for the Vice Presidential swearing-in.
Their friendship is now going on 30 years.
"The President-elect, he doesn’t know a stranger. Once he meets you one time you become his best friend," Beaman said.
Reverend Beaman has offered prayers at the invocation of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, but he says January 20 will be truly historical for him.
Reverend Dr. Silvester Beaman is currently the Pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware.
“We are thrilled to announce an inspired group of dynamic participants for the 59th Inaugural Ceremonies," Presidential Inaugural Committee CEO Tony Allen said. "They represent one clear picture of the grand diversity of our great nation and will help honor and celebrate the time-honored traditions of the presidential inauguration as President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris take the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.
