"Yes We Did": Black Americans Rejoice
Barack Obama's Landmark Presidential Win Inspires Optimism Across Generational Lines
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Play CBS Video
Video
"A Victory Of Faith Over Fear"
Civil rights pioneer Andrew Young speaks with Russ Mitchell about the historical significance of this election at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.
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Video
History Has Been Made
Russ Mitchell speaks with Rev. Bernice King about president-elect Barack Obama's stunning victory.
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Video
Maya Angelou: 'I'm So Proud'
Election night became a great moment in history, especially for African-Americans. Harry Smith spoke with author Maya Angelou about Barack Obama's achievement.
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Photo
Students at Howard University explode with emotion at the announcement that Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. winning the presidency on Election Night in Washington on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Photo Essay
Accepting The Mantle
President-elect Barack Obama addresses the nation and the world after his victory.
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Photos
Election Day Images
Snapshots from throughout the historic day.
"I was born in the civil rights time. To see this happening is unbelievable. We've got the first black president. A black president!" said Mike Louis, a 53-year-old black man who got teary-eyed as he watched the election results on a giant video board in Cincinnati's Fountain Square. "It's not cured now, but this is a step to curing this country of racism. This is a big, giant step toward getting this country together."
In Atlanta, Andrew Young, a prominent civil rights activist and former U.S. Congressman and Ambassador to the United Nations, was visibly moved as he described Obama's win to CBS News' Russ Mitchell.
"It's a victory of faith over fear, grace over greed and vision over violence. And I thank Barack Obama and his entire team for leading us in that direction."
In Washington, hundreds of residents spilled into the streets near the White House, carrying balloons, banging on drums and chanting, "Bush is gone!" Along U Street, once known as America's Black Broadway for its many thriving black-owned shops and theaters, men stood on car roofs, waving American flags and Obama posters.
Nearby, at historically black Howard University, hundreds of students erupted in cheers, broke into song and chanted, "Yes, we did!"
In Philadelphia, thousands of blacks and whites converged at City Hall shortly after Obama was declared the winner. Under a light rain, they danced to the music blaring from car radios. Drivers stopped in the middle of the street, opened their car doors and broadcast Obama's acceptance speech.
"Barack is in the house!" shouted Pamela Williams, 46. "This is very important to me. Change is about to happen."
At Sadiki's restaurant in Philadelphia, the celebration poured out onto the sidewalk.
"Our parents left this planet thinking that we would never, ever see this day, when an African-American could be elected by all the people to the highest seat in the land," said Bernard Smalley Sr. His wife, Jacquelyn, wept.
The celebrations were both large big and small, but the sentiment was the same - pure joy over how far the country has come. People honked horns, high-fived each other and embraced.
In Harlem, the roar of thousands of people gathered in a plaza near the legendary Apollo Theater could be heard blocks away.
In Cleveland, supporters gathered at a house party and held champagne flutes above their heads for a toast. "To the first African-American president in the history of the United States!" they shouted.
In Chicago, Obama's hometown, an estimated 125,000 people gathered on an unusually warm November night to greet the senator at a delirious victory rally at Grant Park.
"It's fantastic," said Hulon Johnson, 71, a retired Chicago public school principal. "I've always told my kids this was possible; now they'll have to believe me."
LaKeisha Williams, a 27-year-old laid-off school nurse, who watched Obama's victory on a TV in a downtown Kansas City concert hall, said: "People actually have finally come together and realized that no matter what his race is, he was the right person for the job. I think it was destiny for him to win. But now we still have to come together to make sure things work."
In Miami's predominantly black Liberty City neighborhood, Otoria Pitts, 30, suggested the significance of Obama's victory goes beyond race.
"His election speaks volumes for a bunch of people," she said. "Children of single mothers, people who put themselves through college. It says, you can do it, you can do it."
Joined by her sister, Susan, and niece, Akira, the three women bought a few rockets from a fireworks stand and lit up the night sky with color.
On the other side of the country, others were thinking how Obama's election could change their lives.
"I'm ecstatic," said Jason Samm, a 33-year-old business owner who was celebrating in South Los Angeles. "I have three kids, which means a lot of doors opening up for them."
Obama's victory also brought back memories of hard-fought battles of generations past.
At Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. preached, Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights hero, said he was hardly able to believe that 40 years after he was left beaten and bloody on an Alabama bridge as he marched for the right for blacks to vote, he had cast a ballot for Obama.
"This is a great night," he said. "It is an unbelievable night. It is a night of thanksgiving."
As the news of a projected Obama victory flashed across a TV screen, men in the nearly all-black crowd pumped their fists and bowed their heads. Women wept and embraced their children. Screams of "Thank you, Lord!" were heard throughout the sanctuary.
Surveying the scene, Mattie Bridgewater whispered from her seat, "I just can't believe it. Not in my lifetime."
Bridgewater said she went to the same elementary school as Emmett Till, the boy from Chicago whose murder in Mississippi was one of the catalysts of the civil rights movement. Both she and her 92-year-old mother voted for Obama.
"I'm sitting here in awe," she said. "This is a moment in history that I just thank my God I was allowed to live long enough to see. Now, when I tell my students they can be anything they want to be, that includes president of the United States."
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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See all 235 CommentsThere was quite a few whites voting for Obama as well.
But never mind any of that though,,,Right?
That would be the real story, whites putting their faith in a black man.
Well half black anyways....
I have a feeling you''ll need it.......
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Posted by Cricketmk3 at 07:03 AM : Nov 05, 2008
I sincerely hope so as well....That he''s a good President, and will do a good job.
We need it more than ever now....
Huh? What does this gibberish have to do with my post, this article, or this election?
that''s right!
so when he fails as a good president...to all the people that voted for him... TOLD YOU SO!
Not too many black people in Iowa, either!
CBS News, don''t you get it? Race doesn''t matter!
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Posted by DSR57
What voted was 100 MILLION Americans. Race does not matter. That we work together does.
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Posted by DSR57
What voted was 100 MILLION Americans. Race does not matter. That we work together does.
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Posted by DM502
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Yeah, but every article you read is about blacks celebrating and taking to the streets, it also took white, asian and latino people to get him into office, so as for your comment. I''d like to see "Other" americans in all the stories and pictures
I share your sentiments. I had thought Obama was of mixed race, but you could not determine that from the media commentary. Brit Hume said last night that Obama was "The son of immigrants". Hello Brit...his mother was a white American from the midwest.
Then as we were watching Obama give his speech they would pan form him to the crowd and everytime it was a sea of black faces until once it was an old white couple and they kissed, then promptly one of the black girls standing there said " Get them the H#ll out of the shot this ain''t about them" Really makes you think about hte friendships you keep.
Posted by bob5ford"
Oh dont worry, we can just blame you for the BUSH cartel fiasco of the last EIGHT years now that we know you voted for his sorry azz- TWICE and voted for a 73 y/o f@rt who chose a right wing ditz caribou-Barbie as his running mate.
Notice he was TROUNCED and STOMPED-- 349 to 163
The country was FED UP with the Bush cartel and his cronies, now the Dems have the Senate, House and Whitehouse- your party''s campaign of lies, ala ''hes a muslim, he was not born in the US'' hate, and all the rest came back to bite you. Obama ran a clean campaign with CLASS.
I could not be prouder of our country and our people! We all owe a debt of gratitude regardless of your political leanings to President Elect Obama because it was through him that so many took our government back!
My conservative husband always comments to me about how vitriolic the dems are. But the democrats have nothing on the conservatives who post here. Such nastiness and hatred! Listen: Your guy had 8 years. Now it''s our turn. Get over it, and yourselves.
Posted by reedtaz73
We are tired of having slavery crammed down our throats like it was our fault. I was not there to cause it and you certainly were not there to be a slave. I wonder how many African Americans would vote yes to enslave whites as payback. Wouldnt that be interesting to know the tally of that ballot.
If anyone out there couldn''t see we needed a drastic change in this country then they are blinded by something---greed, racism, or they are just plain misled.
But don''t worry. It''s all going to get better. For all of us, not just the democrats.
And his speech last night was fantastic. He talked about leading all of America. If you remember right, when Bush won with a much smaller portion of the vote instead said, "I have won political capital and intend to spend it."
This election was not about race but about change.
Posted by newster1
I have a news flash for you, your man Obama isnt going to do anything, he is just as power hungry as any other politician. He was nothing but a puppet for the Democratic party to insure the vote of minorities. The only change you may see is civil unrest and race riots.
This election was not about race but about change.
Posted by Vet_Sk
No, this election was about race hidden behind a lie of change. Words are just that words, we will see just what Obama is going to change. He isnt going to change anything. This is the guy who says it is ok to throw the babys that make it through abortion in the dirty utility room to die. Thats your new president. This is a guy that the terrorist love. He will bring the troops home and invite the terrorist to move to the US as a show of good faith. He will usher in the new Muslim United States of America. He will give Israel the shaft and embrace Palistine. Yeah, he is an all around great messiah, your messiah, not mine.
The doctrine to attack first and ask questions later, torture POWs to extract information, belittle those that disagree with your policies, and provide to regulation to business is over.
Hopefully we can finally get universal health care in this country. Given the 11 trillion dollar deficit the republican administrations of the last 20 years have run-up (during good times) we should really already have it. Now watch, the democrats will increase services, balance the budget grow the economy and then, when things are going good and people start to feel good about themselves we''ll turn it back over to the republicans to destroy again. At least we''ll have universal health care the next time.
Well maybe this will motivate AA types to stop axing questions and learn to speak english.
No, the election did not end NeoCon stupidity in America.
But it guarantees indictments the moment Bu$h leaves office...
Posted by KOUKLA50
Wow, I''m white and I find that offensive.
You won''t hear Mr.Obama repeating "you know what I''M sayin'' every 20 seconds when he speaks. He doesn''t axe questions, he asks questions. He doesn''t wear his pants so low and baggy that he reveals his crack. He won''t be wearing a baseball cap with the brim pointed sideways. He doesn''t wear an afro and he speaks perfect English. Most important, he didn''t leave children fatherless to be raised by a single mom, and he completed high school and college.
If nothing else good comes from his high profile notoriety, it could be to inspire black youth to get some education, learn English and act like adults. Enough of this victim, entitlement lifestyle. They have no more excuses to shrug responsibility and live like fools.
I see Obama as a well educated, well spoken, intelligent man who is black. While I didn''t support him, it was his liberalism and muslim connections that I couldn''t accept and still won''t. He is a scary figure even though bright, talented and well deserving of his new position.
The next four years might be the worst in US history and they might be the best. Only time will tell, but meanwhile, I''m out of the market and generating as little taxable income as possible. Hang on to your money and stay below the radar.
^^yes sir!
Posted by reedtaz73
Why don''t you read some Irish history books brother and find out that black people weren''t the only culture enslaved and brutalized? Get over it. Most of the truely decent people in this world are poor.
and then promptly shipped back to Africa, where today
they would be enjoying life to its fullest. Seems to
me they have a lot to be grateful for, being here in
the great ol'' US of A.
and then promptly shipped back to Africa, where today
they would be enjoying life to its fullest. Seems to
me they have a lot to be grateful for, being here in
the great ol'''' US of A.
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Posted by bb543
Yes, we are grateful, but you should be too. Besides, we were instrumental in helping build this country. This country would be no where in the position it is now without the labor and survival skills of African Americans. Whites should thank God Lincoln never sent us back.
Thank you!
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