Dozens of residents from the surrounding areas lined up along the doors of the Savoy Entertainment Center long before its scheduled opening at 8:00 a.m. in order to get seats near the wide screen projector. Savoy club owner, Jonathan De Veaux, hosted this free breakfast gathering in order to give residents a place to share the significant moment with other fellow neighbors.

"A lot of people didn’t go (to Washington, D.C.), so for a lot of people that didn’t go, they wanted a place to watch it," De Veaux said. "For African Americans, it’s a day that a lot of us never saw would happen, so it’s pretty important to us. It’s probably a once in a lifetime thing."

For those unfamiliar with the area, Inglewood is part of the South Los Angeles area and has an African American population surpassing 48 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The election of the first black president, as a result, was significant to many of the city’s residents in multiple levels.

The Savoy Entertainment Center itself has historical significance as it was named after Harlem’s prominent Savoy Ballroom, where African American legends such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday once dominated the stage. Still, this morning’s most important aspect was the gathering of those with a common interest of watching a new president step into office.

Some joined hands as Rev. Rick Warren delivered his invocation, while many others swayed their hands in the air as queen of soul, Arethra Franklin, sang "Let Freedom Ring" just moments before Obama’s long-awaited speech. However, no other moment was greater for those in the Savoy center than when Obama was finally sworn into office. Every single body in the club stood up and cheered in what many described it to be a glorious moment.

"He has achieved the impossible dream," Vera Lewis said, while breaking into tears. "Black people have no excuse now."

The crowd in Savoy went to complete silence as President Obama began to take his oath of office. The moment was quickly followed by Obama’s inaugural address, where his many powerful statements resonated not only through Washington D.C., but also in Savoy.

"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America," Obama stated midway through his speech, addressing the critical issue regarding the nation’s economy.

This was not the only moment where dozens in the Savoy began to applaud and cheer. For many, addressing of the nation’s safety was also a significant moment for the guests, as Obama declared "those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocence, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us and we will defeat you."

Following Obama’s speech, dozens of guests broke into a dance to celebrate the nation’s defining moment. Others began discussing their reactions towards Obama’s speech and calling loved ones to share their thoughts.

"The speech was remarkable. He said things I didn’t even think he would bring up in his speech," Obama t-shirt vendor, Ricky Jones, said.

"He broke down every criticized issue that’s been going on," Loren Ross said following the speech. "He broke it down and recognized it in a nice, general way but with power."

And while Tuesday was a school day for many kids, some of them were also present at the club to witness the swearing in of the president.

"I’m honored," 17-year-old, Kevin Charlton, said. "Not many people thought it would happen, but it happened."

Although this was a great achievement for the African American community, many residents in Inglewood also perceived it as an achievement for all those around the nation, marked by Obama’s statement that "all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

"I think it represents a lot of opportunity for a lot of people, not just black people," De Veaux said. "For women, it shows a glass ceiling that was usually only for white males is now open to a little bit of everybody."

The inauguration also carried a lot more symbolism for many African Americans in the community because it followed the birthday of one of the nation’s most prominent figures, Martin Luther King Jr., who devoted much of his life to obtaining equal rights for blacks.

While most Americans can recite King’s "I Have A Dream" speech, it is also important to recall his mountaintop address, as King exclaims, "I have seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land." Today’s inauguration marked the achievement of this promised land for many of Inglewood’s residents.

"It’s strange, isn’t it? (It’s strange) how it happened at around the same time," John Hardin said. "I think it’s an omen. I think it’s something that was supposed to happen."