Free Teaching Guide
January 2-9, 2017, Issue
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Feature
Black Life and Death in the Age of Obama
His presidency saw new opportunities for black Americans—as well as the resurgence of white supremacy.
Kai Wright
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Which Way Does the Arc of Obama’s Moral Universe Bend?
Liberals once thought Obama would transcend race—but even his moderate views ended up provoking a whitelash.
Joan Walsh
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Obama Did Not Fail Us—We Failed Each Other
On Barack Obama’s presidency, Trayvon Martin’s death, and the storm clouds of 2016.
Patricia J. Williams
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Michelle Obama, Between Respectability and Radicalism
While we took pride in the first lady, activists changed what she could do.
Joelle Gamble
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The Mysterious Magnetism of Michelle Obama
How did the first lady, a model of intelligence and grace, manage to keep her composure?
Adrienne Kennedy
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American Radicals and the Change We Could Believe In
The Obama era reminded us all that popular movements play an essential role as catalysts for political action.
Eric Foner
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The Education of Barack Obama
Only recently has the president focused on progressive issues like school funding and desegregation. Don’t expect Trump to do the same.
Dana Goldstein
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Obama’s Record on Climate Change Provides Lessons for Taking on President Trump
The past eight years have proven that pressure from ordinary people can counterbalance elite interests.
Mark Hertsgaard
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Was Obama Silicon Valley’s President?
The industry pinned its hopes on him early on.
Siva Vaidhyanathan
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Was Barack Obama a Transformational President?
Despite his bold promises, the president put more energy into rescuing, rather than changing, the old system.
Robert L. Borosage
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Barack Obama’s Crash Course in Foreign Policy
After eight years on the job and many mistakes, he has gone from callow rookie to seasoned veteran.
Andrew J. Bacevich
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Obama’s Civil Rights Legacy—and Ours
Today’s turmoil in race relations may be a testament to the progress his administration made.
David Cole
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The Strange Career of American Exceptionalism
…and Barack Obama’s curious role as its most ardent recent champion and prominent victim.
Greg Grandin
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A Proof, a Test, an Instruction
Obama is ours, in the deep sense that Lincoln is ours.
Marilynne Robinson
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Editorial
How Will History Judge Barack Obama?
The president succeeded in repairing our institutions—but millions of Americans wanted to blow them up instead.
Chris Hayes
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Obama Was Not an Economic Radical. Trump Will Be.
President Obama’s economic reforms were modest—but they’re definitely worth fighting for.
Bryce Covert and Mike Konczal
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Column
I Miss Our Sane, Calm, Empathetic, Funny President Already
Before Trump’s election, we on the left didn’t give President Obama enough credit. Why?
Katha Pollitt
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The Deferred Dream of Barack Obama
His presidency remains symbolic—but it has become an emblem of America’s refusal to truly change.
Gary Younge
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Barack Obama Was Too Cool for the Press Room
The president’s insistence on thinking before acting drove the media around the bend… and toward Donald Trump.
Eric Alterman
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What Happened to the Change We Once Believed In
After two terms, Obama leaves behind a legacy of promises kept—and broken.
Laila Lalami