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Celebrating Obama's Win All Over the City
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 5, 2008
Modified Dec 29, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 5, 2008
Modified Dec 29, 2008
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On this historic night where Barack Obama was elected the next president of the United States, New Yorkers celebrated in some organized and some spontaneous gatherings. There was a planned gathering at Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard and 125th in Harlem--and thousands were there, cheering and celebrating (one reporter said sanitation workers were joining in the revelry). We're hearing about large crowds up by Columbia University (Broadway & 115th), Times Square (47th & Broadway), and the East Village (Avenue A & St. Mark's) and some bottle throwing major revelry (see below) in Williamsburg (N 7th & Bedford).
Rikomatic took this video of a huge American flag that was unfurled in Union Square. He writes that afterwards, "I rolled my bike home to Brooklyn, people were cheering and celebrating on the streets everywhere, cars were honking their horns, restaurants and bars were full of revelers."
Update: We've added more photographs of celebrations to the gallery. Here's video from Harlem Hybrid (who has more photos, too)--taken in Harlem at the moment when Obama was declared the winner--we dare you not get teary!
And reader Stephanie tells us what happened in Williamsburg:
Just wanted to give you a heads up - there wasn't any bottle throwing in Williamsburg. We did light fireworks and sparklers, some people got naked on top of phone booths, we hit a pinata and collected the candy, danced in the street, followed a trumpeter around the streets, and blocked traffic.. but the only bottles that broke were ones that fell out of an overstuffed garbage can.
And Brian at FreeWilliamsburg gives this account:
Some would call it a riot, but even the cops tonight realized that things were cool. It was the most celebratory street take-over I've experienced, sans-broken shit, and up until I left there was no threat of police violence, overturned cars, broken bottles, or anything. I hope I don't wake up and see that changed. (Ed note: When I left, there was a definite impending police presence that threatened to turn uncomfortable, should the crowd had chosen to stick around...)
The thing is, though, everybody was having a great time. There were the bongo kids, hanging just off the southeast corner of No. 7th and Bedford, with a healthy crowd of improvisers keeping things going. There were the wealthy roofians, perched out on their 50k a foot overhang porch cheering the crowd on. The bodega dudes couldn't be missed - they sold out on tall-boys shortly after I grabbed my Bud. I spoke with a few screaming people, but in general, our conversations were drowned out by the constant refrain of "Obama! Obama! Obama!". And who the f*k is gonna mess with that?
Here's video of cheering in Park Slope, via Brit in Brooklyn:
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President Barack Obama
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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