First Person - Incite at Columbia University
-
News
First Person
Jun 24, 2026 - Author Alex Boncy
In February, Columbia’s Incite Institute opened the Obama Presidency Oral History archive to the public. The product of nearly seven years’ work, it contains more than 450 interviews with administration officials as well as activists, organizers and everyday people who interacted with President Barack Obama in meaningful ways. The result is a rich and insightful record of the 44th President’s two terms in office. Readers of this magazine, of course, also know him as a member of the Class of 1983.
We were curious, however, about the other College alumni in the archive. Who contributed recollections, and what roles did they play in Obama’s story?
Latest news
-
go to As Columbia unveils official oral history of President Barack Obama, CC ’83, project leaders reflect on how they captured his ‘transformational presidency’
Mar 1, 2026
As Columbia unveils official oral history of President Barack Obama, CC ’83, project leaders reflect on how they captured his ‘transformational presidency’Originally published in the Spectator, Columbia University student Joseph Zuloaga writes about Columbia's role in the Obama Presidency Oral History.
-
go to Obama Took On Recession, Health Care and Iraq. What He Didn’t See Coming Was Trump.
Feb 17, 2026
Obama Took On Recession, Health Care and Iraq. What He Didn’t See Coming Was Trump.
The New York Times spotlighted Incite Institute's Obama Presidency Oral History Project, an archive of more than 450 interviews offering behind-the-scenes perspectives on the Barack Obama administration.