Barack Obama became the first Black American elected president in 2008, a year that also brought the release of “Iron Man,” the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the Great Recession deepened, investment manager Bernard Madoff was arrested for perpetrating the largest Ponzi scheme in history and the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto wrote a white paper introducing Bitcoin cryptocurrency to the world. Meanwhile, a fuzzy blanket with sleeves called the “Snuggie” sold some 4 million units over the holidays while inspiring a slew of parody commercials.
TORONTO – SEPTEMBER 08: Actor Heath Ledger from the film “Candy” poses for portraits in the Chanel Celebrity Suite at the Four Season hotel during the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2006 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Getty Images)
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – JUNE 01: Approximately 300 firefighters battle a huge fire on the backlot of Universal Studios on June 1, 2008 in Universal City, California. The fire is consuming the filming site of many blockbuster movies including Back to the Future and King Kong. The New York Streets lot and a film vault have reportedly burned. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ - MARCH 26: U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (L) attend a campaign rally at Pima County Fairgrounds on March 26, 2010 in Tucson, Arizona. Palin traveled to Arizona to stump for McCain, who is facing a primary challenge in his bid for a fifth term in the Senate. Today's event marked the first time the pair had campaigned together since their failed 2008 presidential run. (Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images)
In 2008, Barack Obama became the first Black president of the United States.
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