Obama Wins 2008 Election: Archived Pages
In a historic victory depicted on front pages worldwide, Barack Obama becomes the first African-American president of the United States.
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- Elections
- Journalism
In November 2008, newspapers worldwide recorded the historic victory of Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race. Obama became the nation's 44th —and first African American — chief executive.
The Illinois senator and running mate Sen. Joe Biden from Delaware were the Democratic nominees. The duo defeated the Republican ticket of Arizona Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, easily winning both the electoral and popular votes.
Obama’s decisive win was celebrated as a sign of light for the nation in the midst of the biggest financial downturn since the Great Depression. His victory was also cited as a positive step to racial equality and a continuation of the civil rights movement legacy. Following Obama's election, many front page headlines played off his campaign slogans of hope and belief in change.
Obama and Biden were re-elected in 2012, defeating former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan.
Front Pages
Explore a selection of front pages from around the world that covered Barack Obama’s historic victory on Nov. 4, 2008. (While a page is open, press the pink “view larger” button under the image to zoom in on a higher quality PDF file.)
