Steele, former Maryland Lt Governor, is the first black chairman of the Republican National Committee and is said to be the party's answer to Obama of the Democratic Party, which not only occupies the White House but is in majority in both chambers of the US Congress.

This was immediately characterised as historic by the US media. This is for the first time in the US history that leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties are black.

Steele, 50, was elected by party delegates on Friday by defeating Katon Dawson of South Carolina by 91 to 77 votes. "The winds of change are blowing at the RNC," Duncan said accepting his defeat.

"This is awesome," Steele said.

"It is with a great deal of humility and a sense of service that I accept and appreciate and thank all of you for the opportunity to serve as the next national chairman of our very proud, our very strong and our very, very hardworking Republican National Committee," he said in his victory speech.

By electing Steele, a forceful communicator, as the RNC Chairman, Republican leaders intend to regain the ground it lost in the recently held presidential elections.

The Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007, Steele was the first African-American to serve in a Maryland state-wide office.

Steele's election has been welcomed all over the US. His Democratic counterpart Tim Kaine congratulated Steele on his election and said: "The American people have sent a clear message that the challenges we face are too great for us to get bogged down by outmoded ideological divides."

Looking forward to work with Steele, Kaine said Americans have challenged them to work together to find practical solutions that will put this country back on the right track.

In his speech, Steele promised to revive the party by reaching out to the people all across the country. "We're going to bring this party to every corner, every boardroom, every neighborhood, every community," he said.