Obama Presidency Oral History

Incite at Columbia University
The Obama Presidency as told by 450+ officials, activists, organizers, and extraordinary people from all walks of life.

  • Kēhaulani Lum

    Advocate for Indigenous Hawaiians

  • Jeremy Bash

    Intelligence and Defense Official

  • Rose Gottemoeller

    Foreign Policy Official

  • BriGette McCoy

    US Army Veteran and Advocate

  • Theresa Pouley

    Tribal Court Judge

  • Maya Soetoro-Ng

    Sister of President Obama

  • Reggie Love

    Personal Aide to Obama

  • Martin Dempsey

    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  • Austan Goolsbee

    Council of Economic Advisers Chair

  • Krish Vignarajah

    East Wing Policy Director

  • Marc Morial

    Civil Rights Advocate

  • Rebekah Erler

    Economic Correspondent

  • Leana Wen

    Public Health Official

  • Ricardo Zúniga

    Foreign Policy Official

  • Lilly Ledbetter

    Fair Pay Activist and Plaintiff

  • Patrick Gaspard

    Ambassador and Political Advisor

  • Carl Takei

    ACLU Lawyer

  • Darrell Padgett

    Criminal Justice Advocate

  • Mara Rudman

    Foreign Policy Official

  • Devon Adelman

    Self-Advocate with Down Syndrome

Kēhaulani Lum
Advocate for Indigenous Hawaiians
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Interviews

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Between 2019 and 2023 Incite at Columbia University interviewed hundreds of people to produce the official oral history of the Obama presidency. These in-depth interviews, conducted with those inside and outside of the administration, represent roughly 1,100 hours of audio and video that together form a comprehensive record of the Obama years.

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Stories

Each oral history interview contains dozens of stories. Explore these stories through prepared playlists—or save stories to make your own.

  • go to the interview
    Nomination to lead the White House Office of Health Reform and personal reflections on public service Jeanne Lambrew
    01:07
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    Risks and preparation for presidential transitions Jim Steinberg
    02:20
  • go to the interview
    Preparation and impact of sequestration on HUD and the housing market recovery Shaun Donovan
    05:21
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    Early memories of the inauguration and initial challenges as chief of staff Mark Lippert
    04:59
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    Challenges in compartmentalizing and messaging the objectives of CISADA sanctions Richard Nephew
    04:04
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    Response to crackdown on NGOs and civil society in Russia during Secretary's tenure Hillary Clinton
    03:25
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    Challenges in measuring oil flow during the Deepwater Horizon incident Carol Browner
    01:20
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    Appointment to the Indian Law and Order Commission by President Obama Theresa Pouley
    02:58
  • go to the interview
    Reflections on the legacy and impact of the Obama presidency Joanna Rosholm
    03:52
  • go to the interview
    US rejoining the UN Human Rights Council Michael Posner
    02:54
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Topics

From healthcare to the financial crisis to nuclear nonproliferation, each topic explored in this collection is brought to life by narrators from both inside and outside the Obama administration.

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Navigate

Navigate the interconnected events and places that make up this history, narrated by the stories of the people who lived it.



2009-17

Timeline
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Discover

Put thousands of stories in conversation with each other using our experimental collection visualizer.

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News& Events

  • read full text: What a New Oral History Reveals About Obama, and the Tradeoffs He Made
    Peter Baker in The New York Times.
    NewsRead more
  • read full text: An Expansive View Into Obama’s Transformative Presidency
    Caroline Harting in Columbia News.
    NewsRead more
  • read full text: The Obama Presidency Inside-Out: A Conversation About Climate
    New York City
    On May 31, 2023, we gathered in New York City to celebrate the completion of the Obama Presidency Oral History project's fieldwork.
    EventRead more
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