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President Barack Obama
Visual Iconography

Overview


Poster created on the occasion of the 2009 January 20 Inauguration of Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States of America. From the Barack Obama presidential campaign and inauguration collection, #6828, Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.

In 2009 Cornell Library’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections (RMC) acquired a collection of posters and memorabilia documenting the campaign and election of President Barack Obama. These materials provide a unique visual iconography of the election of America’s first Black President, offering a teaching and research resource for understanding modern campaign strategies and political mobilization, and the representation of American politics through various markets and media. Many of the 87 posters and other items presented here were produced in advance of President Obama’s first inauguration on January 20, 2009 and were offered for sale in Washington DC as souvenirs for the thousands of citizens who traveled to the nation’s capital to witness the event. Together they offer an opportunity to study how President Obama was packaged and presented to the public upon his first election.

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Copyright

The copyright status and copyright owners of most of the images in the President Barack Obama Visual Iconography Collection are unknown. Whenever possible, information on current rights owners is included with the image. Cornell is providing access to the materials as a digital aggregate under an assertion of fair use for non-commercial educational use. The written permission of any copyright and other rights holders is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use that extends beyond what is authorized by fair use and other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.

Cornell welcomes additional information about designers, creators, or other rights holders. Inquiries or information can be sent to rareref@cornell.edu.