After the Obama rally, throngs of people walked down Michigan Avenue. Crowds danced and sang in front of the Art Institute, using drums and singing “Oh, Oh, Obama.” Throughout the walk you could see young people of all races singing and dancing together. Periodically you’d hear the crowds chanting “Obama, Obama!” At this moment, we stood in the crux of history, witnessing Chicago’s transformation from being the site of the riots of 1968 to being a place where the crowds jubilantly celebrated and embraced an African-American President. The city with one of the worst histories of racial barriers became the city to welcome in change. Grant Park had a new meaning.
