As Barack Obama prepares to leave office on January 20, here are nine things his presidency may be remembered for: U.S. President Barack Obama applauds active military personnel after speaking about counter-terrorism during his visit to MacDill Air Force Base, home to U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, in Tampa, Florida, U.S. December 6, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque WASHINGTON DC: As Barack Obama prepares to leave office on January 20, here are nine things his presidency may be remembered for: If historians were to write only one thing about Barack Hussein Obama, they would likely note that — 143 years after slavery was abolished – a young Illinois senator became the first black president of the United States.