This post was written by Hatchet Reporters Lindsay Life and Raffi Salbashian.

When Barack Obama was announced as the country’s first black president, D.C.’s historically black neighborhood of U Street erupted in an emotional and dramatic celebration.

A crowd of nearly a thousand people clogged the street, crying, hugging, screaming and chanting. “I’m crying because I’m so happy, something huge happened,” said Paige Robinson, one of the many black women amid the street rally. “We all want to ignore the reality of it, but today we proved that we are all humans.”

A man dressed as Uncle Sam, shirtless bike riders draped in American flags, young people dancing on top of a bus stop – all of them gathered to celebrate the historic moment.

What started out as a single street performer and his drum near the corner of 14th and U streets turned into a spontaneous musical celebration, bringing hundreds of D.C. locals and visitors together chanting in unison, “Yes we can.”

“Everyone is gathered on U and 14th to celebrate. This is every ethnicity of D.C.,” said Dana Silva of the rapidly expanding celebration.

Virginia resident Becky Zhou, who is Asian, said this election will “make a difference for every common person. He is black, (Asians) now have a voice too, it is a strong message for all minorities.”