Jackson Lawrence - Yes we did: photos and behind-the-scenes stories celebrating our first African American president

President Obama delivers remarks on education and college affordability to the students of Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Georgia, March 10, 2015.

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Copyright 2019 by Lawrence Jackson

Unless otherwise noted, all photographs are official White House photographs by Lawrence Jackson.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Jackson, Lawrence, author.

Title: Yes we did : photos and behind-the-scenes stories celebrating our first african american president / Lawrence Jackson.

Description: New York, New York : TarcherPerigee, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019008976| ISBN 9780525541011 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780525541028 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Obama, BarackPictorial works. | PresidentsUnited StatesPictorial works. | Jackson, LawrenceTravel. | PhotographersUnited States. | United States. President (2009-2017 : Obama)

Classification: LCC E908.3 .J33 2019 | DDC 973.932092dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019008976

p. cm.

Version_1

For Patrick and Sophia. Thank you for choosing me to be your father. I dont deserve either of you, but I try to live up to the challenge every day. You are kind and good people, which is the most important thing your mother and I could wish upon you.

And to my lovely wife, Alicia. I was right when I gave you the nickname Trouble on our first date. But I was also right in calling you for a second date. And a third. And.... Thank you for all youve done and continue to do for us and our family.

CONTENTS

President Obama, with White House Communications Agency staffers all around, puts on his tie before a White House videotaping in the State Dining Room, August 9, 2013.

The subject matter is so much more important than the photographer.

GORDON PARKS

The White House Press covers President Obama upon his arrival on the White House South Lawn following a trip to Orlando, Florida, June 16, 2016.

FOREWORD

A tight shot of President Obamas hands during a Q&A with the White House press pool in the Oval Office of the White House, March 17, 2014.

Youre about to sift through some of my favorite memories.

Thats one of the odd things about being president: Much of what you do is documented by a swarm of professional photographers and a sea of smartphones. There arent many private moments. And even most of those have to be recorded for posterity.

Thats why we were so grateful to have someone like Lawrence Jackson recording them.

As youre about to see, Lawrence has a talent for capturing the big scene, the iconic images that will help explain our times for future generations. But he also has a unique gift for capturing those quieter momentsthe margins of a big event, the pauses in a busy day, some stolen time with Michelle and our girls.

They, in particular, came to adore Lawrence. Michelle and I trusted him to travel the world with her and spend time with our girls as they grew up too fast. And well always be grateful to him for preserving some of their youthful joy.

Lawrence brought something else to his work, too. He and I had similar upbringings as black men in America, each of us raised by an extraordinary single mom, both of us knowing what its like, at times, to feel as if we might not belong. Many of his photos are informed by that sensibility, an added awareness of the meaning that certain moments may hold for those who were so long dispossessed.

I suspect Lawrence pinched himself frequently, feeling fortunate to serve in a time of incredible challenge and change. Some of my favorite photos of his are of other White House staff who surely felt the samewho rarely received credit or fanfare, who never got over the feeling that maybe they werent supposed to be there eitherbut all of whom did their jobs with pride and skill and made up a vital part of the White House experience.

I miss them all. Eight years in the White House went by so fast. Thats why Im so grateful that Lawrence was there to capture them. I hope you enjoy his work as much as I do.

BARACK OBAMA

President Obama tapes his weekly address in the Diplomatic Room of the White House, May 29, 2009. He was the first (and only, so far) president to use the video format to communicate to the American people each week.