African Americans and Caribbean immigrants celebrate Barack Obama's victory at the Grass Lounge in Miami, Florida.

WESTERN BUREAU:

Tears flowed freely for blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians and other races celebrating Barack Obama's victory at an election party at the Grass Lounge and Restaurant downtown Miami, Florida last Tuesday night.

Long before 11 p.m., 'true Americans' and their Caribbean counterparts had commenced uncorking bottles of champagne in the exclusive Design District which is now giving South Beach competition. There was no uttering of freedom at last, but the sounds of "change we can, change we believe" rang out throughout the crowded lounge, which was bursting at the seams with more people than the law allows. But regulations took second place and President-Elect Barack Obama took centrestage.

The celebration parties in Florida started as early as 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday when Obama supporters lined the intersections along 441 (Interstate 7) in the Miami Gardens community of Dade County. Displaying large billboards marked Obama/Biden, motorists gave them encouragement by honking their horns.

By 7 p.m. when the polling stations closed, Jamaican families from Ives Dairy, Aventura, Lauderhill, Pembroke Pines and Hollywood were glued to their television sets awaiting the outcome of the 2008 elections. At 10 p.m. the ears of residents of Pembroke Pines were stirred to another sound, the drumming by former Third World member, Willie Stewart, his wife and children. Like the days on the plantations when slaves used the drums to send their messages, Stewart and his family sent a clear message, "change has come."

On the plantations during the days of slavery the drums were used to send messages. Jamaicans (from left) Marcia Boatwright, Dollis Campbell and Cheryl Campbell drum to the sweet sounds of the name Barack Obama. - photos by Janet Silvera