Obamaaaaaa!

In the cities that have written the long, complicated history of race in America — places where slaves were bought and sold, where a Declaration of Independence prematurely called "all men" equal, where black students faced segregationist mobs — voters black and white spoke of joy, hope and utter disbelief.

In the often forgotten neighborhood of Anacostia, people spoke of history — slavery and separate water fountains. They reached in vain for adjectives that were big enough — excited, ecstatic, astonishing. Some just leaned out of car windows and shouted: "Obamaaaaaa!"