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.

  • Timothy Geithner

    Secretary of the Treasury

  • Geraldine Richmond

    Science Envoy

  • Penny Pritzker

    Secretary of Commerce

  • Donald Molloy

    Judge

  • Rick Wade

    Economic Policy Advisor

  • Destiny Blackmon

    Nurse and Correspondent

  • Daniel Fried

    Special Envoy

  • Denis McDonough

    White House Chief of Staff

  • Johnnie Carson

    Diplomat and Foreign Policy Official

  • James Clyburn

    Member of Congress

  • Sylvia Burwell

    OMB Director and HHS Secretary

  • Rajiv Shah

    USAID Administrator

  • Marian Robinson

    Mother of First Lady Michelle Obama

  • Maya Shankar

    White House Behavioral Sciences Advisor

  • Ellen Moran

    White House Communications Director

  • Gayle Smith

    Foreign Policy Official

  • Nancy-Ann DeParle

    White House Deputy Chief of Staff

  • Brian Bond

    Public Engagement Official

  • Harry Reid

    Senate Majority Leader

  • Jeh Johnson

    Secretary of Homeland Security

Timothy Geithner
Secretary of the Treasury
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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
    Influence of community engagement on police reform policies in the Civil Rights Division Thomas Perez
    01:16
  • go to the interview
    Importance of engaging with farmers for creating agricultural policy Kathleen Merrigan
    02:14
  • go to the interview
    Planning a funeral after the Charleston shooting and coordinating with Valerie Jarrett and President Obama Kylon Middleton
    05:33
  • go to the interview
    The strategic importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Asia Samuel Locklear
    02:13
  • go to the interview
    Reflections on Obama's early ambition and the principles of Alinsky-style community organizing Bruce Orenstein
    05:56
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    Reflections on the origin of the Umbrella Movement name and its symbolism Nathan Law
    02:30
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    Incorporating humanitarian considerations into nuclear policy under the Obama administration Rose Gottemoeller
    04:38
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    Impact of DACA on ICE operations and enforcement policies John Morton
    04:41
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    Nomination and confirmation as commander of US Naval Forces Europe and Africa and NATO dynamics Samuel Locklear
    08:52
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    Russian concerns about US missile defense and nuclear strategy Frank Rose
    14:15
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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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