Here's what Holly had to say.

"All of this happened because of you." These are the words I received from an email from my new President, Barack Hussein Obama, just moments after he was declared the winner tonight of this long-fought contest. He wrote that he was on his way to Grant Park to "talk to everyone gathered there" and that he'd "be in touch soon about what comes next." Yeah, we're tight like that...

OK... I know that several million other American Obama supporters got the same email but to be caught up in the historical elation of just hearing that after 43 white guys in a row (the first 16 of whom were documented slave owners) a black president was elected, and then to get an email from him thanking me?? Beyond surreal. But America, that's the kind of evolved man we have displayed the maturity to elect. We grew up today and I am just so proud of US. President-elect Obama made his victory speech tonight about US, not about him. He rarely says "I" but prefers "we" and "our"... He has his finger directly on the pulse of the country, so keenly mindful of the deep concerns even of those who didn't vote for him. America has been starved for a genuine inspirational, unifying figure to represent our ideals globally and it came in the perfectly measured package of Barack Hussein Obama.

As I kissed my four kids goodnight, I told them that when I was little my mommy would tell me that one day I could be the President of the United States...a lovely, encouraging affirmation, but a notion not even close to realistic in my lifetime. It felt so lovely to have my children see me proven wrong -- and to see the two newest first daughters actually resemble my own daughter!

In 1940, when my late father was just 4 years old, his older sister contracted scarlet fever that in those days (left untreated) was potentially fatal. When my grandfather brought the sick girl to the closest hospital for urgent emergency treatment, he was told it was a "whites only" hospital and she would not be admitted to that facility. By the time they arrived to the much further away "colored" hospital, Sheila Robinson -- the auntie I would never meet -- died at just 10 years old...because she was black. Plain and simple.

I was haunted by this story my whole life. The fact that -- just shy of 70 years later, we have elected a President the same hue of this little girl who died because of her skin color -- seems unfathomable. But it happened -- and what a blessing. We really needed some good news. But this election was so much bigger than just transcending the unspeakable racist history of this country. This candidate is the REAL DEAL with a plan for ALL of us as we tackle some seemingly insurmountable imminent issues.

Tonight America grew up enough to kick the race obstacle out of our way to progress. I so wish Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Barack's Grandma, my Aunt Sheila, my dad and so many others could be here to witness this monumental transformation towards a more perfect union. I pray somehow they are watching, smiling pridefully.

Congratulations, America. You got it right.

Now let's go to work...

Return to Celeb Mamas for Obama.