This month in history: January

Before Barack Obama came to Denver in August 2008 to be formally received at the Democratic National Convention as the party’s nominee for president, he visited the Mile High City on Jan. 30, 2008, to deliver his message of hope and change to a crowd of more than 14,000 gathered on the University of Denver campus. Thousands of DU students were among the droves of voters who filled Magness Arena and Hamilton Gymnasium, with overflow crowds spilling onto playing fields outside the Ritchie Center. Caroline Kennedy, daughter of late President John F. Kennedy, introduced Obama, who spoke for 48 minutes in Magness Arena and praised fellow democrat John Edwards, who had ended his bid for president earlier in the day. Obama went on to promote his campaign platform, telling those assembled that: “If you put your trust in me, I will stand up at that convention and say our divisions are behind us, our hope for the future and our time to change has come. I believe we just don’t need small change, we need fundamental change.” The presidential hopeful also made brief appearances in Hamilton Gymnasium and Barton Lacrosse Stadium to thank those assembled for their support. Ten months later, on Nov. 4, 2008, Obama defeated John McCain to become the first African-American president of the United States.