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 the Affordable Care Act, the end of the Iraq War, and the killing of Osama bin Laden. Prior to his political career, Obama was a community organizer and civil rights attorney in Chicago. He is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1993: Named to Crain's Chicago Business "40 under Forty"

In 1993, Crain's Chicago Business named Obama to its list of "40 under Forty" powers to be.

1996: Election to Illinois Senate

In 1996, Barack Obama was elected to the Illinois Senate, succeeding Alice Palmer from Illinois's 13th District.

1998: Re-election to Illinois Senate

In 1998, Barack Obama was re-elected to the Illinois Senate, defeating Republican Yesse Yehudah.

2002: Re-election to Illinois Senate

In 2002, Barack Obama was re-elected again to the Illinois Senate.

March 2004: Landslide Primary Election Win

In the March 2004 primary election, Barack Obama achieved a landslide victory, making him a rising star and leading to the reissue of his memoir, Dreams from My Father.

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

Check it on Amazon

July 2004: Keynote Address at Democratic National Convention

In July 2004, Barack Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, elevating his status within the Democratic Party.

November 2004: General Election Win

In the November 2004 general election, Barack Obama won with 70 percent of the vote, the largest margin of victory for a Senate candidate in Illinois history.

January 3, 2005: Swearing-in as Senator

On January 3, 2005, Barack Obama was sworn in as a senator, becoming the only Senate member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

2006: Received Grammy Award for Dreams from My Father

Obama received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Dreams from My Father in 2006.

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

Check it on Amazon

February 10, 2007: Presidential Candidacy Announcement

On February 10, 2007, Barack Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States in front of the Old State Capitol building in Springfield, Illinois.

2008: Obama's 2008 Campaign Highlighted

Obama has been described as one of the most effective campaigners in American history, with his 2008 campaign being particularly highlighted.

2008: Named TIME Magazine's Person of the Year

Obama was named TIME Magazine's Time Person of the Year in 2008.

February 2009: Obama Rated Most Respected World Leader

In a February 2009 poll conducted in Western Europe and the U.S., Obama was rated as both the most respected and the most powerful world leader.

February 17, 2009: Signing of 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, equivalent to $1153 billion in 2024, aimed at helping the economy recover from the worldwide recession. This act included increased federal spending in areas such as healthcare, infrastructure, and education, as well as various tax breaks, incentives, and direct assistance to individuals.

March 2009: Intervention in Automotive Industry

In March 2009, President Obama intervened in the troubled automotive industry, renewing loans for General Motors (GM) and Chrysler to continue operations while reorganizing. Terms were set for both firms' bankruptcies, including the sale of Chrysler to Fiat and a reorganization of GM giving the U.S. government a temporary 60 percent equity stake.

May 2009: Obama Rated Most Popular World Leader

In May 2009, a similar Harris poll rated Obama as the most popular world leader, also identifying him as the figure most people would rely on to resolve the economic downturn.

June 2009: Call to accelerate economic stimulus

In June 2009, President Obama, dissatisfied with the pace of economic stimulus, called on his cabinet to accelerate investment and signed into law the Car Allowance Rebate System, also known as "Cash for Clunkers", which temporarily boosted the economy.

August 6, 2009: Confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor

On August 6, 2009, Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice, becoming the first Supreme Court Justice of Hispanic descent.

October 9, 2009: Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

On October 9, 2009, only nine months into his first term, Barack Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.

2009: Obama Received Nobel Peace Prize

In 2009, Obama received the Norwegian Nobel Committee's Nobel Peace Prize.

2009: Awarded Nobel Peace Prize and Response to Financial Crisis

In 2009, Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Also during 2009, his administration responded to the 2008 financial crisis with measures including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

March 2010: Agreement Reached with Russia on Nuclear Arms Reduction

In March 2010, an agreement was reached with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's administration to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, reducing the number of long-range nuclear weapons in both countries' arsenals by approximately one-third.

March 2010: CBO estimate of 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: House passes Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

On March 21, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA, colloquially "Obamacare") passed by the Senate in December was passed in the House by a vote of 219 to 212.

March 23, 2010: Obama signs Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA, colloquially "Obamacare") into law.

April 2010: Obama and Medvedev Sign New START Treaty

In April 2010, President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the New START treaty, aimed at reducing nuclear arsenals.

December 2010: U.S. Senate Ratifies New START Treaty

In December 2010, the U.S. Senate ratified the New START treaty, which was signed by Obama and Medvedev in April of that year.

December 17, 2010: Signing of Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010

On December 17, 2010, President Obama signed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. The act 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.

2010: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act Signed

In 2010, Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act, ending the policy banning open service from LGBT people in the U.S. armed forces.

May 1, 2011: Osama bin Laden Killed in Surgical Raid

On May 1, 2011, President Obama authorized a "surgical raid" conducted by United States Navy SEALs, resulting in the shooting death of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

May 2, 2011: Obama Experiences Poll Bounce After Bin Laden's Death

Following the death of Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011, Barack Obama experienced a temporary increase in his poll approval.

August 2, 2011: Signing of the Budget Control Act of 2011

On August 2, 2011, President Obama signed the bipartisan Budget Control Act of 2011. This legislation enforced limits on discretionary spending until 2021, established a procedure to increase the debt limit, and created a committee to propose further deficit reduction.

June 28, 2012: Supreme Court upholds ACA mandate

On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court ruled by a 5–4 vote in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius that the individual mandate in the ACA was constitutional under the U.S. Congress's taxing authority.

November 6, 2012: Obama Wins Reelection as President

On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama won 332 electoral votes, exceeding the 270 required to be reelected as president of the United States, securing a second term.

2012: Defeated Mitt Romney in Presidential Election

In 2012, Obama defeated Republican opponent Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan in the presidential election.

2012: Obama's Approval Recovering

In mid-2012, Obama's polls showed an average approval of 50 percent after the approval rate had fallen to 38 percent in late 2011.

2012: Named TIME Magazine's Person of the Year

Obama was named TIME Magazine's Time Person of the Year in 2012.

December 2014: Obama Negotiates Restoration of Relations with Cuba

In December 2014, President Obama, with Pope Francis as an intermediary, negotiated a restoration of relations with Cuba after nearly sixty years of détente.

2014: Obama Received Shoah Foundation Award

In 2014, Obama received The Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education's Ambassador of Humanity Award.

June 2015: Supreme Court rules on ACA subsidies

In June 2015, the 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.

July 1, 2015: Obama Announces Resumption of Formal Diplomatic Relations with Cuba

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.

August 13, 2015: Upgraded to Embassy

On August 13, 2015, Cuba upgraded their "interests sections" in Washington to an embassy.

2015: Obama's Approval Rating Begins to Rise

In 2015, President Obama's approval rating began to climb, reaching the high 40s by the year's end after lagging for most of the year.

2015: Obama Ranked 18th-Greatest American President

In 2015, the Brookings Institution ranked Obama the 18th-greatest American president.

March 2016: Obama's Approval Rating Reaches 50 Percent

According to Gallup, President Obama's approval rating reached 50 percent in March 2016, a level unseen since May 2013.

March 2016: Obama Visits Cuba

In March 2016, President Obama visited Havana, Cuba, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to arrive since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.

2016: End to ban on transgender people serving openly in the U.S. armed forces

In 2016, Obama's administration brought an end to the ban on transgender people serving openly in the U.S. armed forces.

2017: Obama received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award

In 2017, Obama received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.

2017: Obama's Final Approval Rating at 59 Percent

In a poll conducted from January 16–19, 2017, Obama's final approval rating was 59 percent, placing him on par with George H. W. Bush and Dwight D. Eisenhower.