Impact on Society

Barack Obama was the first African-American president in US history. This is significant because until the 1960s, some parts of the country were still segregated, yet by 2008, a black (or more accurately, a biracial) candidate could win the presidency. Thus, it can be said that Barack Obama helped to change the way Americans thought about politics and race: black candidates had run before, but were rarely taken seriously, while Mr. Obama's candidacy was widely praised for its efficiency and its soaring rhetoric that brought large numbers of young people, as well as minorities, to the polls. His election was a powerful symbol, not just in America, but all over the world.