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. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.
1996: Obama Elected to Illinois Senate
In 1996, Barack Obama was elected to the Illinois Senate, succeeding Alice Palmer from Illinois's 13th District.
1998: Obama Re-elected to Illinois Senate
In 1998, Barack Obama was re-elected to the Illinois Senate, defeating Republican Yesse Yehudah.
2002: Obama Re-elected to Illinois Senate Again
In 2002, Barack Obama was re-elected to the Illinois Senate for another term.
March 2004: Obama Won Illinois Primary Election
In March 2004, Barack Obama won the Illinois Democratic primary election in an unexpected landslide.
July 2004: Obama Delivered DNC Keynote Address
In July 2004, Barack Obama delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, which elevated his status in the Democratic Party.
November 2004: Obama Won Senate Election
In November 2004, Barack Obama won the general election for the U.S. Senate with 70 percent of the vote.
2006: Grammy Award for Dreams from My Father
In 2006, Obama received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Dreams from My Father.
October 2007: Campaign Speech Acknowledging Youthful Image
In October 2007, Obama addressed his youthful image in a campaign speech, emphasizing the importance of passing the torch to a new generation.
June 2, 2008: Obama Clinches Democratic Nomination
On June 2, 2008, Barack Obama secured enough votes to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination after a close primary race.
2008: Nomination for President
In 2008, Barack Obama was nominated by the Democratic Party for president after a primary campaign against Hillary Clinton, and selected Joe Biden as his running mate.
2008: Time Person of the Year
In 2008, Obama was named TIME Magazine's Time Person of the Year.
2008: Successful Campaign
Obama's 2008 campaign being particularly highlighted as one of the most effective campaigns in American history.
February 2009: Most Respected World Leader
In February 2009, a Harris Interactive poll rated Obama as the most respected and powerful world leader.
March 2009: Automotive Industry Intervention
In March 2009, Obama intervened in the troubled automotive industry, renewing loans for General Motors (GM) and Chrysler to continue operations while reorganizing.
March 2009: "New Era" in U.S. Foreign Relations
In March 2009, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made separate overseas trips to announce a "new era" in U.S. foreign relations with Russia and Europe, using the terms "break" and "reset".
May 2009: Most Popular World Leader
In May 2009, a Harris poll rated Obama as the most popular world leader and the figure most people would rely on to address the economic downturn.
June 4, 2009: Cairo University Speech
On June 4, 2009, Obama delivered a speech at Cairo University in Egypt calling for "A New Beginning" in relations between the Islamic world and the United States.
June 2009: Economic Stimulus Acceleration
In June 2009, dissatisfied with the pace of economic stimulus, Obama called on his cabinet to accelerate the investment. He also signed into law the Car Allowance Rebate System, known as "Cash for Clunkers", which temporarily boosted the economy.
October 9, 2009: Awarded Nobel Peace Prize
On October 9, 2009, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded Obama the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.
2009: Awarded Nobel Peace Prize
In 2009, Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in international diplomacy, a decision that received both criticism and praise.
2009: National Defense Authorization Act Signed into Law
In 2009, President Obama signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, which included the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, expanding federal hate crime laws.
March 21, 2010: House Passes Affordable Care Act
On March 21, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed in the House by a vote of 219 to 212, after being passed by the Senate in December.
March 23, 2010: Obama Signs Affordable Care Act
On March 23, 2010, Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law.
December 2010: Unemployment Rate and Employment Increase
In December 2010, the unemployment rate remained at 9.6 percent. Between February and December 2010, employment rose by 0.8 percent.
December 17, 2010: Tax Relief Act Signed
On December 17, 2010, Obama signed the $858 billion Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, which included a temporary extension of income tax rates.
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 ban on open service for LGBT people in the U.S. armed forces.
May 1, 2011: Osama bin Laden Killed in Surgical Raid
On May 1, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed during a "surgical raid" conducted by United States Navy SEALs in Abbottabad, Pakistan, authorized by President Obama.
May 2, 2011: Poll Bounce After Bin Laden's Death
Following the death of Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011, Obama experienced a temporary increase in poll approval, maintaining 50-53 percent for about a month.
August 2, 2011: Signing of the Budget Control Act of 2011
On August 2, 2011, Obama signed the bipartisan Budget Control Act of 2011 after a lengthy congressional debate over raising the nation's debt limit. The legislation enforced limits on discretionary spending until 2021.
April 3, 2012: Obama Secures Democratic Nomination for Reelection
On April 3, 2012, Barack Obama secured the necessary convention delegates to win the Democratic nomination for president, running virtually unopposed.
June 28, 2012: Supreme Court Upholds ACA Mandate
On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court ruled in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius that the individual mandate in the ACA was constitutional under Congress's taxing authority.
November 6, 2012: Obama Reelected as President
On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama was reelected as President of the United States, winning 332 electoral votes and becoming the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a majority of the popular vote twice.
November 2012: Decline in Unemployment Rate
By November 2012, the unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent.
2012: Re-elected as President
In 2012, Barack Obama defeated Republican opponent Mitt Romney in the presidential election, securing his second term as President of the United States.
2012: Time Person of the Year
In 2012, Obama was named TIME Magazine's Time Person of the Year.
2012: Approval Rating Recovers
In mid-2012, Obama's approval rating recovered, with polls showing an average approval of 50 percent.
2013: Unemployment Rate Decrease
In the last month of 2013, the unemployment rate decreased to 6.7 percent.
December 2014: Obama Negotiates Restoration of Relations with Cuba
In December 2014, it was announced that President Obama, with Pope Francis as an intermediary, had negotiated a restoration of relations with Cuba after nearly sixty years of détente.
2014: Continued Decline in Unemployment Rate
During 2014, the unemployment rate continued to decline, falling to 6.3 percent in the first quarter.
2014: Ambassador of Humanity Award
In 2014, Obama received The Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education's Ambassador of Humanity Award.
June 2015: Supreme Court Ruling on ACA Subsidies
In June 2015, the Supreme Court ruled 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: Formal Diplomatic Relations Between Cuba and the United States Resume
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: Cuba Upgrades Interests Sections to Embassies
On August 13, 2015, Cuba's interests sections in the US was upgraded to embassies.
March 2016: Approval Reaches 50 Percent
In March 2016, Obama's approval rating reached 50 percent, a level unseen since May 2013.
March 2016: Obama Visits Havana, Cuba
In March 2016, President Obama visited Havana, Cuba, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to arrive since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.
2016: Transgender Service Ban Ends
In 2016, the Obama administration ended the ban on transgender people serving openly in the U.S. armed forces.
2017: John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award
In 2017, Obama received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.
2018: Gallup Approval Rating
In 2018, Gallup's retrospective approval polls of former presidents gave Obama a 63 percent approval rating, ranking him among the most popular presidents since World War II.
2018: Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award
In 2018, Obama received the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award.
2020: American Factory Wins Award
In 2020, Higher Ground's first film, American Factory, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
March 4, 2022: Audio Publishers Association Award
On March 4, 2022, Obama won an Audio Publishers Association (APA) Award for his narration of his memoir A Promised Land.
2022: Primetime Emmy Award
In 2022, Obama won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator for Our Great National Parks.
2023: Gallup Approval Rating
In 2023, Gallup's retrospective approval polls of former presidents gave Obama a 63 percent approval rating, ranking him among the most popular presidents since World War II.
2023: Primetime Emmy Award
In 2023, Obama won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator for Working: What We Do All Day.
