Obama's Victory

John McCain, together with his wife Cindy, concedes defeat. McCain won 47 percent of the vote, but only 163 electoral votes. Obama secured a victory with 52 percent and 338 electoral votes.

Gleeful supporters of Obama celebrate on election night at the historic Babylon Theater in Berlin.

Obama's relatives in Kenya celebrate at the family home in Kogelo village after the election results were announced. His step-grandmother Sarah Obama is pictured second from left. Obama is the first African-American elected president in the United States.

Salma Mohammed, who was recently made a US citizen, votes for the first time in Asbury, Iowa with the help of her three-year-old daughter Zara.

Artists Les Punter, right, and Jim Kempton work on clay busts of US presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama at Madame Tussauds' Studios in London. They studied hundreds of photos and watched hours of video footage to create the figures, which will be duplicated in wax. The process is intricate, with each strand of hair inserted individually, and can take up to five weeks.

Barack Obama's campaign of hope and change won support, not only in the United States but abroad as well. He takes office on January 20, 2009.

Rebecca Vaughns showed her enthusiasm for Obama by having his picture and motto, "change," shaved onto her head.

Obama was warmly received in Berlin, when he visited the German capital in July. This fan holds up a sign reading "Obama for Chancellor" prior to the Democratic candidate's speech in front of the Victory Column.

US voters turned out in droves for the historic election. These shadows belong to a few of them at Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California.

A Barack Obama doll decorates a desk in Neuss, western Germany. Doll designer Marcell Offermann presented the Obama figure to celebrate politician's victory.