Slide show: President Obama Comes to Campus

With nearly once-in-a-lifetime timing, President Barack Obama visited the UW–Madison campus on Tuesday, Sept. 28, becoming the first sitting president to do so in 60-plus years.

Although sitting presidents, past presidents and presidential candidates have come to campus in previous decades, President Obama’s appearance at the Moving America Forward rally sponsored by the Democratic National Committee was the first UW visit by a sitting president since President Harry Truman addressed a crowd at the Field House on May 14, 1950.

An estimated crowd of 26,500 filled Library Mall and surrounding areas, hoping to hear and catch a glimpse of the president, and experience firsthand what would soon be part of the UW’s history.

At left: The line for those waiting to pass security screening and enter Library Mall for President Obama's visit led down University Avenue westward through campus for more than a mile.

Photos: Jeff Miller and Bryce Richter
Words: Cindy Foss