Barack Obama Wins the United States Presidential Election
Barack Obama won the United States presidential election on November 4, 2008.
Published · Updated · 1 min read
The Event
Barack Obama won the United States presidential election on November 4, 2008. His victory made him the first African American elected to the presidency.
The Wider Story
The election took place during a severe financial crisis and followed a long primary campaign. Voters also chose congressional representatives and other public officials that day.
Putting the Event in Perspective
Obama's presidential term began with the inauguration on January 20, 2009.
Reading the Historical Record
Election-night celebration is therefore the appropriate setting for this anniversary, rather than a presidential oath or a later White House decision.
About the Historical Recreation
The accompanying visual is an illustrative reconstruction: an illustrative 2008 American election-night gathering with distant spectators and city lights. It is not authentic archival footage, an eyewitness record or additional evidence for the event.
Sources
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