The black community on Merseyside have hailed Barack Obama’s victory. Ben Schofield reports

MERSEYSIDE’S black leaders hailed President-elect Barack Obama’s stunning victory as a “massive opportunity” for the world.

Tuesday night’s turnaround of decades of racial prejudice was des-cribed as “fantastic”, “emotional” and a moment of “pride”

But, they warned, the momentum must be seized to spread the message of inclusion and partnership.

Michelle Charters, chairwoman of Merseyside Black History Month, was bombarded by text messages and emails yesterday celebrating the victory. She organised an impromptu Obama party at the Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre, on Princes Road, for supporters to share in the experience.

Mrs Charters, like so many whose imaginations were captured by the election race, stayed awake through the night to watch the states declare.

She said: “I see it as a massive opportunity and hope for all people in the world. Men and women have cried real tears for what they witnes-sed last night.

“It’s all about partnerships and today it’s about pride. As a black woman, I’m proud, proud, proud.”

Mrs Charters’s two grown-up daughters, aged 21 and 18, were born in New York.

She added: “On behalf of my child-ren, I believe that all the work of so many is showing that there is a future and opportunity for them.”

Civil rights leader Rev Jesse Jackson will come to Liverpool on December 1 to deliver a free public lecture. Jackson was at Dr Martin Luther King’s side when he was assassinated in Memphis Tennessee in 1968.

Shortly after the race was called for Obama, the 67-year-old was seen weeping among hundreds of thous-ands of Democrat supporters in Chicago’s Grant Park. Obama addressed the victory rally, saying: “I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight.”

Liverpool’s only black councillor, Labour’s Cllr Anna Rothery, said: “It was amazing. It is the final recogni-tion that people should start accept-ing people for who they are and for their character. Which is a huge barrier to overcome.”

She said the victory wasn’t the end of the struggle, partly because Britain was a long way from seeing a black resident in Downing Street.

She added: “I wish that it wasn’t that way, but everything points to that fact. We may have a more div-erse selection of candidates, but will it make a difference to black politi-cians? I don’t think so. One would hope it would, but everything indicates we have a long way to go.”

She urged Obama to visit Mersey-side and the UK to help mobilise the black vote here.

Vincent Tomlinson, chairman of Merseyside Black Police Association, added: “There’s an air of optimism that has swept across the States and into this country. I think one of the issues that he will address is the inequality and poverty that exists in the US and around the world.

“There’s no question how the west-ern world is perceived and how Britain is perceived can be directly linked to what the US does.”

Wally Brown, the black former president of Liverpool Community College, added: “It’s absolutely amaz-ing. He could have a major impact on the world and peace. He has a tough job, but he’s saying the right things.”

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