An unlikely candidate gives America hope and goes on to become the first African-American president in U.S. history; once in office hope is questioned as racism, fear and political opposition try to upend Obama's presidency.
Anti-Obama sentiment is on the rise; showing signs of a resurgence of racism in America; a white supremacist opens fire in a black church; it is up to the president to unify a divided country in mourning.
The president works to carve out his administration's foreign policy including a tough decision about the killing of Osama Bin Laden; at home his domestic agenda is challenged by the second most deadly school shooting in American history.
With the success of the Affordable Care Act on the line; the drive to make same-sex marriage legal; President Obama pushes his administration to new limits.