Good points you raise and agree with a lot you say.

I can only say from my experience in the UK, that once you are vaguely African looking you are black.

I can give an example of a woman I heard years ago here when Oprah Winfrey was first shown on UK TV, that she didn't even know what race she was, when I corrected her calling her "coloured" I was told well "she's some form of Darkie". Honestly most white people I can tell you cannot even differentiate between the "Black/Brown" races. Indian, African it is all the same to many of them.

I know it is a bit different in America.

My last comment was not saying yes Africans should adopt White methods of celebration !! :o)
I am just pointing out the importance for a people of the "Feel good factor".

Psychologically, if you live in a society where you are constantly bombarded with negative images of yourself, you never see any good about yourself, That does have a huge psychological effect.
If all Obama being elected does is make many African Americans feel good about themselves and see something positive in it that is one good thing to come out of it.

As Human beings we need to feel these things.
For our communal psyche.
We know that All African Amercians are not going to come together in this time to cheer for Marcus Garvey or Malcom X or Nanny Maroon, so if, for now, it is Obama that makes everyone feel really positive and uplifted and proud of themsleves, I think that is a good thing and a small step in the right direction.

Perhaps from this opening it will plant the seed to check for all the rest of African heroes and achievers and History and start the path towards deeper consciousness.

I just think there is too much negativity and over analaysis already. We know he aint going to change the world, but I don't see the harm in letting people be happy and feel good about themselves for once. If him being elected inspires one child to start to go further and read their African history and culture and be interested in things that is one good thing.
From these positive, "we can do it" feeling can come good works.

Love