Obama win sends crowds into Philly streets

Almost as soon as it became clear that Barack Obama would become the nation's first African American president, Philadelphians took to Broad Street for an impromptu celebration and rally of the historic moment.

It began simultaneously along the Broad Street corridor, where the artery meets Cecil B. Moore Avenue near Temple University, where it crosses the Olney Transportation Center near Girls' High, at Erie and Venango Avenues, and in South Philly at Lombard Street. A crowd even gathered at Market and 52d in West Philly.

Then, they began making their way to City Hall.

Shortly after 11 o'clock, a large crowd - thousands of young people - gathered outside City Hall for an impromptu celebration.

They had started outside Temple University, when as soon as the networks called the election, hundreds made their way to Broad Street, converging at the intersection at Cecil B. Moore Avenue.

It was pandemonium. Students poured into the streets, cheering. Cars passing by honked and passengers waveed Obama signs out car windows.

Eighteen-year-old Chade Biney, from West Orange New Jersey, was in her Temple dorm room when she found out Obama won.

"We went out of our building, on to Broad and just kept running," Biney said. "I was just so excited. It is such a monumental time for everyone especially African Americans."

Biney, who is African American, said she feels "proud to be an American."

Temple freshman Ashley Allen, 18, was so excited and curious to see what was going on she came out onto the street wearing red and white pajamas. "I'm so happy to be in the city now," she said.

Her friend Jordan Lagasse, also 18, said: "It's history, and I'm glad everyone is reporting it."

Then, they started heading south on Broad, cheering, laughing, loping, chanting all the way: "Yes, we can." and "Obama."

The crowd swelled. Traffic stopped at the intersection of Broad Street and JFK Boulevard, where people danced on cars, music blared, and walkers ran up to cars and hugged the occupants.

Duran Ochoa, 24, a journalism student at Villanova, was beside himself. "I"m feeling to great -- it's a new revolution," Ochoa said. "We did it. I thought it was fake at first."

It wan in impulsive, group gesture. There were no speeches, no leaders, just peple taking in the moment.

Crystal Jones, a Temple student, said, "This is making history. We're making history walking down Broad Street. And we're celebrating Barack Obama."

Erika Ransom, a 22-year-old senior at Temple, said: "I felt just like we made history. I feel like we accomplished so much tonight. I thought about Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and the Freedom Riders.

Police officials say the celebrations so far are celebratory and did not express great concern about the gatherings..

"We're keeping an eye on it," said Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey . "So far, it's celebratory. It's not negative at all."

Ramsey said the department had anticipated some celebrations would occur if Obama won the election and was moving to block traffic to "create some space" for the crowds to gather in North Philadelphia, near Broad and Susquehanna, and downtown, near Broad and Chestnut.

Deputy Commissioner Richard J. Ross Jr. said the department had played down its planning for the celebration in order to prevent apprehension.

"We anticipated it, but didn't make a big deal about it," he said.

He said the department was using its regularly scheduled night shift to manage the crowds. The city's police helicopter was also monitoring the crowds.

At Broad and Walnut Streets, strangers embraced. Women and men are banging cooking pots with spoons. Young men raced around on bicycles. A chant rose up, "Obama, Obama, Obama."

Michael J. Harris, 24, resident coordinator at the University of the Arts said: "I feel like I've experienced history." He said he texted his mother, who was working the night shift as an EMT in New Jersey. "It's important for people to note that just because Obama won doesn't mean we can rest. The American people have to work just as hard as he will to make the country better."

Susan Martin, a 60-year-old legal assistant who lives in center city, stood on the corner in tears watching the scene. "I am just so relieved," she said "Nothing's going to change overnight, but now there's hope. Is it really possible that we have a really intelligent, positive mayor, we won the World Series, and now Obama will be our president?"

A middle-aged white man walked up a car, and a black man got out. The two of them danced around in the street.

On Broad Street, a man on a blue bicycle rode slowly, an American flag, waving behind him.

At 12:30, part of the crowd at City Hall decided to march, almost in parade form, south on 15th Street. They held signs, adults carried children on their shoulders. Cheers broke out: "Yes We Can. Yes We Can."

The march had a message but no apparent destination. When a group of revelers was asked whether they were marching somewhere, they happily shouted "No!"

James Taylor was incredulous.

"Martin Luther King Jr. said he had a dream," said Taylor, 47. "He just didn't say how long it would take to get there. Now we know."

After hearing Obama had won the presidential race, Taylor, who lives in South Philadelphia, felt he had to get out, had to celebrate with other Philadelphians. "He went from where we all are - poverty - to success," Taylor said of the president-elect. "He tells us we can do anything, and now we know we can."

Staff writers Kia Gregory, Kristen Graham, Andrew Maykuth, Mari Schaefer, Melissa Dribben and Vernon Clark contributed to this article.