"Barack Obama's political life can be chronicled through a series of major addresses in which he spoke to the nation with a voice uniquely his own. His eloquence, both written and spoken, propelled him to national prominence and ultimately made it possible for the son of a Kenyan man and a white woman from Kansas to become the first black president of the United States."--Publisher's description.

"Includes President Obama's farewell speech"--Jacket "First published 2017. Revised edition published 2017"--Title page verso Includes index

Introduction: "Let us march" -- "What I am opposed to is a dumb war" : speech against the Iraq War, Chicago, IL, October 2, 2002 -- "The audacity of hope" : Keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Boston, MA, July 27, 2004 -- "How far we've come" : remarks at John Lewis's sixty-fifth birthday gala, Atlanta, GA, February 21, 2005 -- "We cannot abandon the field of religious discourse" : Keynote address at the Call to Renewal Conference, Washington, D.C., June 28, 2006 -- "What's next for America?" : Speech at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, Des Moines, IA, November 10, 2007 -- "Yes we can" : New Hampshire primary concession speech, Nashua, N.H., January 8, 2008 -- "A more perfect union" : speech at the National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA, March 18, 2008 -- "Change happens" : acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, Denver, CO, August 28, 2008 -- "This is your victory" : election night victory speech, Chicago, IL, November 4, 2008 -- "A new era of responsibility" : first Inaugural address, Washington, D.C., January 21, 2009 -- "Open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words" : remarks at Notre Dame commencement, South Bend, IN, May 17, 2009 -- "A new beginning" : remarks at Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt, June 4, 2009 -- "The happy warrior" : eulogy for Senator Ted Kennedy, Boston, MA, August 29, 2009 -- "A just and lasting peace" : Nobel Peace Prize lecture, Oslo, Norway, December 10, 2009 -- "Justice has been done" : remarks on Osama Bin Laden, Washington, D.C., May 2, 2011 -- "I am here to say they are wrong" : remarks on the economy, Osawatomie, KS, December 6, 2011 -- "Newtown, you are not alone" : remarks at Sandy Hook interfaith prayer vigil, Newtown, CT, December 16, 2012 -- "We, the people ..." : second inaugural address, Washington, D.C., January 21, 2013 -- "Now we need to finish the job" : 2013 State of the Union address, Washington, D.C., February 12, 2013 -- "Trayvon Martin ... could have been my son.'" : remarks on Trayvon Martin, Washington, D.C., July 19, 2013 -- "Put on love" : remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, Washington, D.C., February 5, 2015 -- "For we were born of change" : speech marking the 50th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday", Selma, AL, March 7, 2015 -- "Amazing grace" : eulogy for the Honorable Reverend Clementa Pinckney, Charleston, SC, June 26, 2015 -- "A world that is worthy of our children" : remarks at the first session of COP21, Paris, France, November 30, 2015 -- "You see, change requires more than righteous anger" : remarks at Howard University commencement ceremony, Washington, D.C., May 7, 2016 -- "We must go forward" : remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, New York City, NY, September 20, 2016 -- "What our democracy demands" : farewell address, Chicago, IL, January 10, 2017.