Tuesday was a historic day for our country, and the Post-Dispatch needed a headline this morning that captured the significance of the election of America’s first black president.

We considered dozens of headlines suggested by copy editors and other staffers at the Post-Dispatch, before selecting “YES, HE DID” as the big words.

We selected a close-up photo of Barack Obama from the rally at Grant Park, which allowed four subheads to complement the main headline.

The first subhead: “Obama marches into history”

The second: “Broad support makes him first black man to take White House”

The third: “Huge turnout spurs resounding victory in Electoral College”

The fourth: “In gracious speeches, rivals extend offers of cooperation”

We arrived at “YES, HE DID”  relatively late Tuesday evening. For a while, our prototype main headline was “FACE OF THE FUTURE.”

But dozens of other headlines were considered over the past few days, reflecting a number of possible outcomes. Here are some of the other candidates:

A NEW DIRECTION
Surge of support propels Obama to White House

THE FACE OF THE FUTURE
Obama rides surge of support to White House

HISTORY
Obama rides tide of support to White House

HISTORY
Huge turnout propels Obama to White House

SCRIPTING HISTORY
In landslide vote, Obama is elected
first African-American president.
It’s Real.

Done.

He did it!

President!

The Face of Change.

New direction

New path

New course

New dream

New ideal

America’s shift

A dream realized

A nation turns

A new time

STUNNER
McCain-Palin prove polls wrong

A NEW DIRECTION
Surge of support propels Obama to White House

THE FACE OF THE FUTURE
Obama rides surge of support to White HouseOBAMA WINS

Historic vote: First African-American elected president

STUNNING UPSET

McCain-Palin prove polls wrong

Paint the country red

Obama, Democrats win White House and more seats in Congress, House

HISTORY

Obama is first African-American elected president

HISTORY

McCain proves polls wrong; Palin is first female VP

AGENT OF CHANGE

Nationwide surge of support propels Obama to White House

CHANGE-UP

McCain pulls upset as Obama falters.

Palin will be first female vice president.

OBAMA IT IS

He will be first black president.

McCain loses in a landslide.

McCAIN STUNNER

He proves polls wrong in defeating Obama.

Palin will be first female vice president.

NATION SETS
A NEW COURSE

In a landslide vote, Barack Obama is elected
America’s first African-American president.