Video: Western Washington witnesses history

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SEATTLE – Thousands of people took to the streets in downtown Seattle after Sen. Barack Obama’s historic win Tuesday evening.

They came out of bars, restaurants and houses to celebrate.

At Pike and Broadway, an amazing scene played out as an estimated 4,000 people loudly and peacefully danced and sang, hollered and celebrated.

“It's amazing to be part of this history. My mom looked at me today and said, do you realize you can do anything you want to do in your life? And, like, it's apparent now," said one woman.

Among the other comments:

"And I'm so excited for the change. The change. The change."

"It's incredible. I told my wife this would happen."

"I'm proud to be an American. I'm proud to be able to vote."

“It's surprising and I really didn't believe it and I probably still will wake up and not believe it. It's amazing."

"I thought in the future it would happen. But I didn't believe, at this point in time, in 2008, I thought maybe a little further off in the future. But, yeah, this is a great moment for America."

In south Seattle, three generations of the Hollingsworth family cheered as they watched the historic night unfold.    

Eighty-eight-year-old Dorothy Hollingsworth was in the forefront of Seattle’s civil rights movement - the first black woman on the Seattle School Board. 

“I never thought it would have happened,” she said. “Now who would have thought this would happen?”

"I just started my professional career and to have the highest man in the land look like me it makes me see that I can achieve anything," said her grandson.

KING

There were tears of joy at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Seattle.

At Mount Zion Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King made his only Seattle visit, the smiling faces said it all.

For Belle Wilson Boyd, this defining moment in history means she can say to her children 'you too can be President of the United States' and actually mean it."

"It's like the weight has been lifted, we can now just be,” she said.

"It feels like we have received some kind of reparations,” said Pastor Aaron Williams.

"Stuff like this you dream about you don't ever think we African Americans would have a chance to vote or have a black president in the White House, that's just amazing," said Kiana Harris.

Many of the Mount Zion Baptist Church members said it was reminiscent of when they welcomed Dr. Martin Luther King Junior to Seattle.

There’s a feeling of victory, pride and jubilation and a sense that the next phase of King’s dream is indeed coming to true.

"I know that my mother is shouting in heaven,” said Boyd.

"Right now my heart is swelling with joy.  I can barely contain myself," said Pastor Williams.