President Barack Obama's First Year in Office

We can’t believe it’s been nearly a year since President Barack Obama took the oath of office on that historical day in Washington D.C. ESSENCE.com has dedicated “Obama Watch” to document President Obama’s triumphs and challenges – from health care reform to unemployment and Afghanistan. We’ve dug deeper by examining what it means to be a Black Men in the Age of Obama. We’ve also kept it light, talking to the President’s barber and finding out what’s cooking in the White House. And always, we couldn’t help but smile in adoration of the First Family. To celebrate President Barack Obama’s first year in office take a walk down memory lane. Read ESSENCE Washington correspondent Cynthia Gordy’s “Obama Watch” blog. To reminisce on President Obama’s First 100 Days, click here. To read commentary from Spike Lee, Colin Powell, Leonard Pitts, Jr. and more on ESSENCE.com’s collaboration with CNN for “Black Men in the Age of Obama” project, click here. To find out the results of ESSENCE.com’s exclusive “Black Men in the Age of Obama” poll, click here. To read an interesting story on President Barack Obama’s personal barber, click here. For more on the President and First Lady’s parenting style, click here.