Is Obama the first black president?

Let me first share the joy I feel with millions, billions even across the world - at seeing Obama reach the white-house. The fact a none-white figure has ascended to the presidency shows a great shift in the mind-set of America. My question is this - why are people saying that Obama is black? His mother was white - meaning he is mixed race. I am not mixed race, so perhaps I don't understand the feeling to want to comply to one race or the other. Your say...