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.

  • Megan Smith

    US Chief Technology Officer

  • John Cullerton

    Illinois State Senator

  • Kimberlé Crenshaw

    Legal Scholar and Civil Rights Advocate

  • Jeremy Bash

    Intelligence and Defense Official

  • James Clyburn

    Member of Congress

  • Art and Helen Tanderup

    Farmers

  • Beverly Daniel Tatum

    University President

  • Jordan Brooks

    Gender Policy Advisor

  • Naureen Shah

    Civil Rights Advocate

  • Bernie Aronson

    Special Envoy

  • Krish Vignarajah

    East Wing Policy Director

  • Bess Evans

    Policy Advisor

  • Martin Nesbitt

    Presidential Campaign Treasurer

  • Bobby Rush

    Member of Congress

  • DJ Patil

    White House Chief Data Scientist

  • Danielle White

    Director of Scheduling

  • Anthony Foxx

    Secretary of Transportation

  • Jocelyn Frye

    East Wing Policy Director

  • Jeff Flake

    US Senator from Arizona

  • William Taylor

    Foreign Policy Official

Megan Smith
US Chief Technology Officer
461

Interviews

Explore oral histories in the collection.

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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
    Working relationship with Secretary Clinton and her approach to diplomatic issues Mara Rudman
    03:05
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    Challenges of planning Michelle Obama's school visits in China Andrea Mokros
    02:20
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    Transition from Clinton campaign to Obama campaign debate preparation team Jake Sullivan
    01:28
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    Establishing Hadiya's Promise and addressing youth engagement in communities Cleopatra Cowley
    02:04
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    Unexpected role in addressing the financial crisis as chair of the Financial Services Committee Barney Frank
    02:07
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    Engagement with environmental groups during tenure at the Department of the Interior Ken Salazar
    02:48
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    Outreach efforts for the potential repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell Gautam Raghavan
    01:24
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    Observations on President Obama's intelligence and demeanor during crisis management Anthony Fauci
    03:52
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    Early involvement in Yemeni protests and the impact of the Arab Spring Tawakkol Karman
    09:53
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    Reflections on the Obama administration's approach to the TPP and its political implications Lori Wallach
    06:52
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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

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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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