"It was not only the largest crowd that had ever attended a presidential inauguration, it was also the largest attendance for any event in the history of Washington, DC," wrote Kate Andersen Brower, a former White House correspondent, in her book, "The Residence."
More than 69.4 million Americans voted for the then-47-year-old Obama, who earned 365 electoral votes and nearly 53% of the popular vote on election night. His Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), captured 173 electoral votes and a little more than 45% of the popular vote.
At noon on January, 20, 2017, Obama will complete his second and final term as America's commander in chief.
In honor of Obama's ascension to office, here are 44 iconic images of his time as the 44th president of the United States.