Harlem Celebrates Obama's White House Victory

NEW YORK (AP)  -- A wave of jubilation swept Harlem after Barack Obama was elected president of the United States, becoming the first African-American elevated to the White House.


Al Jones Reports

Thousands of people poured into the streets -- some dancing, others crying tears of joy -- in raucous celebration Tuesday night.

Vehicular traffic was bumper to bumper around the neighborhood's famed 125th Street with people popping out of sunroofs to wave at pedestrians who clogged sidewalks and traffic lanes. Honking car horns split the night air.

Near the historic Apollo Theater, men played conga drums as revelers blew noisemakers.

The crowd, with many people wearing Obama buttons and T-shirts and carrying U.S. flags, included elders who grew up under segregation and young parents who brought their children to watch the historic vote on TV screens.

``Now when I tell my kids they can be president of the United States I can mean it,'' said resident Kevin Watson, 54. ``Before today I was never really sure.''

The response was explosive at a plaza a block from the Apollo, where thousands of people had gathered. The roar could be heard for blocks as Obama was declared the winner.

A New Orleans-style jazz band led dancing Obama supporters in a spontaneous parade down 125th street, as the marchers sang ``yes we can!'' to the beat.

It was, first and foremost, a black celebration, but there were hundreds of whites who joined the celebration, too, a testament to a resurgent Harlem's changing demographics.

``I never thought tonight was possible,'' said Robert Lewis Jackson, 43. ``Not in my lifetime.''

Another resident, Daniel Clark, 41, described Obama's win as ``magical.''

``It's like a spiritual cleansing,'' Clark said.

Bobby Hughley, 53, who was born in Alabama the son of sharecroppers, said: ``My mother grew up under segregation, my grandmother grew up under segregation. I dedicated my vote today to them.''

Near the Apollo, a painting of Obama hung on a wall. On it read: ``We made history.''