Barack Obama's Success and Achievements in Timeline
A closer look at the biggest achievements of Barack Obama. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.
Barack Obama, the 44th U.S. President (2009-2017), was the first African American to hold the office. A Democrat, he previously served as a U.S. Senator for Illinois (2005-2008) and an Illinois State Senator (1997-2004). His presidency was marked by significant policy changes and challenges both domestically and internationally.
1993: "40 under Forty" Powers to be
In 1993, Crain's Chicago Business named Obama to its list of "40 under Forty" powers to be.
2006: Obama received Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Dreams from My Father
Barack Obama received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for "Dreams from My Father" in 2006.
2008: Obama named TIME Magazine's Person of the Year in 2008
Barack Obama was named TIME Magazine's Time Person of the Year in 2008.
2008: Nomination for President
In 2008, Barack Obama was nominated by the Democratic Party for president after a primary campaign against Hillary Clinton. He selected Joe Biden as his running mate and defeated John McCain and Sarah Palin in the general election.
2008: Obama's 2008 Campaign
Obama's 2008 campaign was particularly highlighted as one of the most effective campaigns in American history. He was also considered one of the most talented political orators of the 21st century.
February 17, 2009: Obama Signs American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a $787 billion economic stimulus package aimed at helping the economy recover from the worldwide recession. The act included increased federal spending for health care, infrastructure, education, tax breaks, and direct assistance to individuals.
March 2009: Obama Intervenes in Automotive Industry
In March 2009, Barack Obama intervened in the troubled automotive industry by renewing loans for General Motors (GM) and Chrysler to continue operations while reorganizing.
June 2009: Obama Calls for Accelerated Economic Stimulus and Signs "Cash for Clunkers"
In June 2009, dissatisfied with the pace of economic stimulus, Barack Obama called on his cabinet to accelerate the investment. He signed into law the Car Allowance Rebate System, known colloquially as "Cash for Clunkers", which temporarily boosted the economy.
October 8, 2009: Signing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
On October 8, 2009, Barack Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, expanding the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
October 9, 2009: Obama Wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
On October 9, 2009, Barack Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation. He called it a "call to action" and an affirmation of American leadership.
October 30, 2009: Lifting of the Ban on Travel by Those Infected with HIV
On October 30, 2009, Barack Obama lifted the ban on travel to the United States by those infected with HIV.
2009: Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009
Barack Obama received the Norwegian Nobel Committee's Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.
2009: Nobel Peace Prize Awarded
In 2009, Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in international diplomacy.
March 2010: Agreement reached with Russia to reduce long-range nuclear weapons
In March 2010, an agreement was reached with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with a new pact reducing the number of long-range nuclear weapons in the arsenals of both countries by about a third.
March 2010: CBO Estimates Deficit Reduction from ACA
In March 2010, the CBO estimated that the net effect of both laws will be a reduction in the federal deficit by $143 billion over the first decade.
March 21, 2010: Affordable Care Act Passes in the House
On March 21, 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), previously passed by the Senate in December, passed in the House by a vote of 219 to 212.
March 23, 2010: Obama Signs Affordable Care Act into Law
On March 23, 2010, Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA, colloquially "Obamacare") into law.
April 2010: Survey Shows Opinions on Stimulus Bill Impact
An April 2010 survey of members of the National Association for Business Economics showed an increase in job creation, but 73 percent of respondents believed the stimulus bill had no impact on employment.
April 2010: Obama and Medvedev sign the New START treaty
In April 2010, Obama and Medvedev signed the New START treaty.
July 2010: Federal Reserve Notes Slowing Economic Activity
In July 2010, the Federal Reserve noted that economic activity continued to increase, but its pace had slowed, and chairman Ben Bernanke said the economic outlook was "unusually uncertain".
December 2010: U.S. Senate ratifies the New START treaty
In December 2010, the U.S. Senate ratified the New START treaty.
December 2010: Unemployment Rate
In December 2010, the employment rose by 0.8 percent.
December 17, 2010: Obama Signs Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010
On December 17, 2010, Barack Obama signed the $858 billion Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, which included a temporary two-year extension of the 2001 and 2003 income tax rates, a one-year payroll tax reduction, continuation of unemployment benefits, and a new rate and exemption amount for estate taxes.
December 22, 2010: Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell
On December 22, 2010, Barack Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, ending the don't ask, don't tell policy of 1993 that had prevented gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the United States Armed Forces, fulfilling a promise made in the 2008 presidential campaign.
May 1, 2011: Death of Osama bin Laden
On May 1, 2011, a United States Navy SEALs operation resulted in the shooting death of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The announcement was followed by celebrations across the United States.
May 2, 2011: Obama experiences poll bounce after death of Osama bin Laden
Following the death of Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011, Obama experienced a small poll bounce and steadily maintained 50–53 percent approval for about a month, until his approval numbers dropped back to the low 40s.
August 2, 2011: Obama Signs Budget Control Act of 2011
On August 2, 2011, after a lengthy congressional debate over raising the debt limit, Barack Obama signed the bipartisan Budget Control Act of 2011. The legislation enforced limits on discretionary spending until 2021 and established procedures for deficit reduction.
June 28, 2012: Supreme Court Upholds ACA Individual Mandate
On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court ruled by a 5–4 vote in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius that the ACA's individual mandate was constitutional under Congress's taxing authority.
November 6, 2012: Obama Re-elected as President
On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama won 332 electoral votes and was reelected as president, becoming the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win the majority of the popular vote twice.
November 2012: Unemployment Rate Falls
By November 2012, the unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent.
2012: Obama named TIME Magazine's Person of the Year in 2012
Barack Obama was named TIME Magazine's Time Person of the Year in 2012.
2012: Re-election to the Presidency
In 2012, Barack Obama defeated Republican opponent Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan in the presidential election, securing his second term as President of the United States.
2012: Obama's approval rating recovers in mid-2012
Obama's approval rating recovered in mid-2012 with polls showing an average approval of 50 percent.
December 2014: Negotiated Restoration of Relations with Cuba
In December 2014, it was announced that Obama, with Pope Francis as an intermediary, had negotiated a restoration of relations with Cuba, after nearly sixty years of détente.
2014: Obama received the Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education's Ambassador of Humanity Award in 2014
Barack Obama received the Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education's Ambassador of Humanity Award in 2014.
2014: ACA Provisions Take Effect
In 2014, most health-related provisions of the ACA took effect, including expanding Medicaid eligibility and subsidizing insurance premiums.
June 2015: Supreme Court Upholds ACA Subsidies
In June 2015, the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in King v. Burwell that subsidies to help individuals and families purchase health insurance were authorized for those doing so on both the federal exchange and state exchanges, not only those purchasing plans "established by the State", as the statute reads.
July 1, 2015: Resumption of Formal Diplomatic Relations Between Cuba and the United States
On July 1, 2015, President Obama announced that formal diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States would resume, and embassies would be opened in Washington and Havana.
July 14, 2015: Deal announced with Iran regarding nuclear weapons
On July 14, 2015, a deal titled the "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" was announced with Iran. This deal involved the removal of sanctions in exchange for Iran taking measures to prevent the production of nuclear weapons.
August 13, 2015: Upgrading of Cuban "interests sections" to embassies
On August 13, 2015, the countries' respective "interests sections" in one another's capitals were upgraded to embassies. Relations between the US and Cuba were thawing.
2015: Obama ranked the 18th-greatest American president
In 2015, from the same survey from the Brookings Institution, Obama gained 10 spots and ranked the 18th-greatest American president.
March 2016: Obama's approval rating reaches 50 percent
According to Gallup, Obama's approval rating reached 50 percent in March 2016, a level unseen since May 2013.
March 2016: Visit to Havana, Cuba
In March 2016, Obama visited Havana, Cuba for two days, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to arrive since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.
2016: Pentagon Ends Ban on Transgender People in the Military
In 2016, the Pentagon ended the policy that barred transgender people from serving openly in the military.
2017: Obama received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2017
Barack Obama received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2017.
2018: Obama received the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award in 2018
Barack Obama received the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award in 2018.
2020: American Factory wins Academy Award
In 2020, Higher Ground's first film, American Factory, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
March 4, 2022: Obama wins Audio Publishers Association Award
On March 4, 2022, Obama won an Audio Publishers Association (APA) Award in the best narration by the author category for the narration of his memoir A Promised Land.
2022: Obama received Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Narrator for Our Great National Parks
Barack Obama received a Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Narrator for Our Great National Parks in 2022.
2023: Obama received Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Narrator for Working: What We Do All Day
Barack Obama received a Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Narrator for Working: What We Do All Day in 2023.
2024: Obama won the Sylvanus Thayer Award
In 2024 Barack Obama became the first and so far only President from the Democratic Party to win the Sylvanus Thayer Award.
2025: Obama received Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Narrator for Our Oceans
Barack Obama received a Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Narrator for Our Oceans in 2025.
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