Dancing in the Streets
The last time Americans danced and cheered in the streets was in 1945, when the nation finally defeated its enemies in the Second World War. I have no memories of those exuberant days. But I'm an historian and I've seen plenty of pictures and read many descriptions of the joy and happiness that swept over the country.
Obama's stunning victory is the first time in 63 years that Americans once again danced and cheered in the street. Here on the Left Coast, thousands of Berkeley students danced in the city, wildly cheering his victory. In Oakland's Jack London Square and in San Francisco's Castro District, tens of thousands more gathered for joyous street parties, dancing in the street. It was a bittersweet victory because of the success of those who sought to ban same-sex marriage. That day, too, will come. Of this I'm sure.
Elsewhere, people also danced in the streets. In Chicago, a friend describes the thousands of young people who poured out of trains to join the tens of thousands already celebrating in Grant Park. In Crown Heights, Brooklyn, the largely African American and Caribbean population celebrated in the streets, dancing and setting off fireworks.
All across America, in these blue enclaves, celebration and joy was in the air. The morning after the election, I received emails from friends all over the world who described how the election would transform not just the United States, but the rest of the world. On the Berkeley campus, colleagues, as well as strangers, hugged each other. Smiles sprouted on students' faces. It was as though everyone were awakening from an eight year low-grade depression.
At an election night party with people of my 60s generation, a mixed-race crowd couldn't believe what we saw on television--and on our computers. As we listened to John Lewis, tears poured down our faces. None of us thought we'd lived to see this historic election. All of our adult lives we have protested racial and sexual discrimination, unnecessary wars, and fought for social and economic justice. None of us could remember wanting to dance in the streets. To feel joy, to feel pride in our new leader,and those who elected him, was a new experience.
All my life I've heard the phrase "dancing in the streets" but I've never witnessed it after a political event. May the future give us more historic reasons to rejoice and dance in the streets.
But --
Why were they "dancing in the streets"?
November 6, 2008 12:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Could you repeat the question?
November 6, 2008 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Didn't want to get busted for public indecency?
November 6, 2008 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ellen, Ellen, Ellen,
isn't it obvious?
They finally see a CHANCE at representation.
November 6, 2008 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've been holding my telephone line open all day.*
I don't want to miss the call from Bob Rubin or Larry Summers asking me what I'd like them to do about the recession.
* I've scheduled installation of another line. They may not call till next week, and I've got to use the phone now and then.
November 6, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
miss the call
You'll be hearing from Rahm, about a job.
He is a notorious TPM lurker...
November 6, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
you've only hinted at your creepdom before, but I honor your candor for allowing it to emerge openly for all to see
stripped away from your obviously able intellect and academic trappings, you're just a mean-spirited spoiler who thinks they know better than anyone else
pretty ugly really
a black eye for you
November 6, 2008 10:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ruth Rosen says:
I missed the dancing in the streets too, but I DO have memories of that time. I was on the Elbe River in Germany when the surrender came.
When we heard of the surrender we didn't know what to think, we didn't know what it meant. Everyone was asking "The wars' over?"
I remember when the reality hit us we just sat down and tried to digest it. I don't remember any dancing, we missed that. :-)
By the way, this is a long shot but, there was a guy named Leonard Rosen in the 82nd with me, any connection?
I hope Obama does the right thing and looks first to the 90/95% of the public who's welfare was second to corporate interests for too long.
November 6, 2008 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
There was plenty of dancing on Castro Street in SF on election night 1992 -- there were tens of thousands dancing, drinking, and cheering until well after midnight. I don't remember any party in Oakland, and Berkeley was relatively quiet too -- so much so that my friends & I headed over to the Castro.
November 6, 2008 3:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
NYC too.
Plus I don't think "kids these days" realize how long we boomers were also treated like kids by the greatest generation, and not allowed to take over, not given that respect. It seemed like the "silent majority" would never ever let go. So there was the silent celebrating along the lines of: finally, finally, someone who understands rock and roll (as tacky as his taste in it was,) and finally, finally we don't have to see Kissinger all the time anymore, and finally, someone who was a Vietnam war protestor, not a Vietnam war supporter, and especially finally, someone who has a clue about current pop culture, as opposed to someone being proud of not having a clue about it. Jimmy Carter may have been a Democrat, but as a devout evangelical, it was like he was on "their side" of the culture wars.
November 6, 2008 6:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
p.s. It's helpful to remember the context of 92. Things like the fall of the Soviet Union and Tianemem Square were still relatively fresh, it really did seem like the torch was being passed to a new generation, times they are achanging blah blah blah, it seems cliche now but it didn't then. We were all looking forward to the year 2000 suddenly approaching quickly, a year that was the stuff of science fiction all our lives. It was exciting to have a new generation taking over the presidency within the context of those times, it seemed like there was lot of potential for change. I wonder if anyone has done a count of the use of the word "change" between Clinton/Gore 92 campaign and the current one. In 92 it was used often enough for comedians and then people on the street to joke about it.
November 6, 2008 6:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Plus I don't think "kids these days" realize how long we boomers were also treated like kids by the greatest generation, and not allowed to take over, not given that respect. It seemed like the "silent majority" would never ever let go."
Kind of ironic, isn't it, that the electorate just rejected Boomer leadership (after 16 troublesome years - and yes, I'm aware McCain was a cusp Silent/Boomer) in favor of Gen X?
November 6, 2008 6:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Baby boomers have been trouble from the beginning. We're better off with Gen X leading the Millennials while the Boomers take care of themselves (which is all they care about, anyway).
November 7, 2008 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
I can't help but think that if we limit the tax deduction to just having children under 18 and not to marriage, that there will be less people out to "protect" marriage. Certainly much of the anti gay marriage opinion is religiously related and promoted, but the loss of the CA proposition wasn't by too many percentage points (just 2 perecent I think or 4 max.) And I would think the outcome would have either been the other way in CA or would have been closer if traditionally married voters weren't so worried about providing a tax deduction to people who they think don't have children (although many of them in CA do adopt I think. And my sister "married" in San Fran to a woman who had two kids from her previous marriage to a man, so my sister is a gay parent.)
November 6, 2008 2:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't remember any widespread dancing in the street (national-championship parties on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, N.C., don't count). But I do remember when I was 13, going to my church and ringing the bell the night in January 1973 that the Vietnam War cease-fire took effect. Passing cars all started honking their horns.
It felt good.
November 6, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think it counts when only *half* the country is dancing in the streets and the other half are mourning their loss.
Anyway, I was just a kid, but I seem to remember a world-wide celebration on July 20, 1969.
November 6, 2008 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
"It was a bittersweet victory because of the success of those who sought to ban same-sex marriage. That day, too, will come. Of this I'm sure."
You're right. It will come. Just as the election of a black president was inevitable. I remember having conversations with my Dad, when I was a kid during the 70s. I told him that by the turn of the century we'd be we are, that the idea of equality for black and white will have been achieved.
Personally, I believed for the last 2 decades a black president was possible. Come on, it's not like Americans got zapped with some sort of space ray in the last 4 years and suddenly woke up. I appreciate the excitement, but it's just another day. The challenge for Democrats now is to not get overwhelmed by the hype and govern as if they have all the answers.
November 6, 2008 8:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
BY the way, I was smack-dab in the middle of "dancing in the streets" last week, when the Phillies won. Before that, it was on July 4th.
November 6, 2008 8:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm too old to be doing any dancing, can I just whistle a tune instead?
November 7, 2008 8:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Note to Josh:
"I swore to never be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides, Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim, silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
Elie Wiesel, in spirit, on Prop 8.
November 7, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am not a historian, but I had the exact same thought--when has this happened? And V-J/V-E day was the only example I could think of where people just poured into the streets to celebrate a victory. There have been so many gatherings of sadness, grief, and protest, which were legitimate. But this was a gathering of pure joy, and it was beautiful to see.
November 8, 2008 10:41 AM | Reply | Permalink