Statue #44: Barack Obama

Rapid City, South Dakota

Sometimes it's hard to come up with a good statue idea for a former U.S. President. "When you get hold of a Millard Fillmore or a James Buchanan, the concept can be a little difficult," said Dallerie Davis, co-founder of the City of Presidents project. "But with Barack Obama (2009-2017) we had way more ideas than we could use, and they were all good."

The final statue, unveiled in July 2019, depicts the 44th President and his daughter, Sasha, as they walked onto a Chicago stage to deliver Obama's victory speech on election night, 2008. Obama's street corner spot is in front of a small park, "which seemed like a good fit," according to Dallerie.

Amazing Arcana of the Presidents

Obama is a distant relation of Hollywood actors Robert Duvall and Lon "Phantom of the Opera" Cheney, and of former VP Dick Cheney as well.

[Discover more fascinating details in the Roadside Presidents iPhone app!]

City of Presidents

Since 2000, Rapid City has commissioned and installed bronze statues of every former U.S. President on its downtown street corners. Visitors are encouraged to take a walking tour of the City of Presidents and inspect the nation's metallic Commanders in Chief. Paper guides are available year-round at the city's main Visitor Center at 512 Main St.