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Barack Obama: The Story of Our 44th President

16 minutes 26 seconds

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Chronicles Barack Obama's life through pictures, graphics, maps, and archival footage. Begins with a brief history of the people who fought for civil rights and freedoms for all Americans, and explains how their efforts provided the possibility and opportunity that led to the election of President Obama. Tells how President Obama became the 44th President of the United States and the first African-American President in our country's history. His journey to the White House is a fascinating and inspiring story about having a dream and the freedom to pursue that dream. What events and experiences shaped his life? How did he become a hero of freedom for millions of people around the world?

Media Details

Runtime: 16 minutes 26 seconds

Close up of the World Trade Center towers obscured by an explosive plume of fiery smoke. Right tower gapes open near top.
1 hours 26 minutes 24 seconds
Grade Level: 7 - 12
Middle eastern man looks just off camera. Caption. I felt that I was just as American as anybody else.
55 minutes 31 seconds
Grade Level: 6 - 12
Dark frame shows a shadowy figure standing indoors. Text at the bottom of the frame reads, "Reenactment."
54 minutes 11 seconds
Grade Level: 10 - 12
Digital rendering. Aerial view of 2 switchback staircases with white figures walking downwards on a level labeled, "sixty-ninth floor."
1 hours 26 minutes 9 seconds
Grade Level: 7 - 12
Group of people stand in a cluster with cars in background. Caption. Living inside and outside of mainstream American society.
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27 minutes 58 seconds
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Still frame of people examining produce outside a market on a busy city street. Caption. Have harbored smaller ethnic enclaves.
A History Of Chinese American Achievement
Season 0 / Ep 8
28 minutes 32 seconds
Grade Level: 7 - 12
Side view of Barack Obama standing at a lectern with crowds in the background holding blue signs that read, "Change."
A History of Civil Rights in America
Episode 8
29 minutes 3 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12
Painting of a densely populated city with waterways running between sections of the city. Caption: Throughout the '20s and '30s, Rivera painted murals
A History of Hispanic Achievement in America
Episode 8
27 minutes 58 seconds
Grade Level: 7 - 12
Red and white stripes of U, S flag with overlay of the U, S Constitution. Text overlay reads, Constitutional Reform and Controversy.
A History of the U.S. Constitution
Episode 8
29 minutes 36 seconds
Grade Level: 7 - 12
Canted bird's eye view of a satellite ground station surrounded by grass. Caption. Helping expand America's ever-growing appetite.
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Season 1 / Ep 12
44 minutes 1 seconds
Grade Level: 9 - 12

Viewer Comments

  • Tiny teachers sign with class
    Alexandria R. (Greenville, SC)
    June 25th, 2015 at 08:25 AM

    Students really liked this video. They immediately wanted to rematch it. The attached lessons are good beginning ideas for incorporating this into a social studies or ELA lesson.

  • Tiny meface
    Leatta W. (Neosho, MO)
    March 30th, 2015 at 08:05 PM

    Well done presentation of factual information with a quiz at the end and fun facts scattered through out the video. The child host voice was hard to discern from the child descriptive video voice. Additionally, some descriptions were not prefaced with things like "a photo of".

  • Tiny default profile photo
    Hillary K. (Burlington, MA)
    February 18th, 2015 at 06:45 AM

    Great resource for younger students!