The Columbia University graduate and the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review served for eight years in the Illinois state Senate. In 2004, he entered the Capitol Hill after a landslide Senate election victory and soon became a media darling and one of the most visible figures in Washington, with two best-selling books to his name.
The father of two young daughters, who appeared with his wife Michelle to declare victory before a cheering crowd in St Paul, described it as a "defining moment" for the nation which abolished slavery 200 years ago but is still battling the scourge of racial discrimination.
"Tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another -- a journey that will bring a new and better day to America," Obama, who projected himself as a candidate for "change", said.
"America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on policies of the past," he pledged.
There were reports earlier that Clinton would concede, but her campaign said she was "absolutely not" prepared to do so.
Clinton praised Obama warmly in an appearance before supporters in New York. But she neither acknowledged Obama's victory nor offered a concession of any sort.
Image: Democratic presidential candidate US Senator Barack Obama and his wife Michelle arrive for an election night rally at the Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota, on Tuesday.
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Barack Obama, in his own words: Exclusive to rediff.com
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