# Obama Hope Posters

> Obama Hope Posters is a 2008 political poster by street artist Shepard Fairey, featuring a red, white, and blue stylized portrait of Barack Obama with the word "Hope," becoming the most recognizable image of the 2008 election.

The Obama "Hope" poster is a stylized red, white, and blue portrait of Barack Obama designed by Los Angeles street artist Shepard Fairey in January 2008. Distributed as posters, stickers, and free digital downloads during the presidential campaign, it became the single most recognizable image of the 2008 election. The poster also triggered a major copyright lawsuit between Fairey and the Associated Press that dragged on for years and ended with Fairey pleading guilty to destroying evidence.

## Origin
In October 2007, Shepard Fairey discussed Barack Obama's candidacy with publicist Yosi Sergant[16]. Sergant reached out to the Obama campaign for permission, which came through a few weeks before Super Tuesday[16]. Fairey completed the design in a single day using a photograph he found through Google Image Search[1].

The source photo was taken by freelance photographer Mannie Garcia on April 27, 2006, at a National Press Club event in Washington, D.C.[2]. Garcia's assignment that day was to photograph George Clooney, who had just returned from visiting refugee camps in Darfur. Obama, then a junior senator from Illinois, accompanied Clooney at the news conference and wound up in several of Garcia's shots[2]. Garcia estimated he made a thousand images that day alone and never connected his photo to the poster until someone pointed it out more than a year later[2].

Fairey announced the print on his Obey Giant website in late January 2008, writing: "I believe with great conviction that Barack Obama should be the next President"[8]. The screenprint was 24 by 36 inches in an edition of 350, with the "PROGRESS" version exclusive to OBEY and the "HOPE" offset print distributed by the Obama camp[8]. The edition sold out within minutes at $45 each, and Fairey used the revenue to fund 10,000 more prints for distribution at rallies[1][7].

- **Platform:** Obey Giant website (poster sales), street art (wheat-pasting)
- **Creator:** Shepard Fairey (artist), Mannie Garcia (source photographer), Yosi Sergant (publicist/distributor)
- **Date:** 2008

## Overview
The Obama "Hope" poster is a stencil-style portrait of Barack Obama rendered in flat blocks of red, beige, light blue, and dark blue, with a single word printed beneath the image[1]. The earliest version carried the word "PROGRESS," but the Obama campaign requested a switch to "HOPE" to align with their messaging[8]. Later editions used "CHANGE" and "VOTE" as well[16].

Fairey shaded the face half blue and half red on purpose, representing the convergence of blue states and red states, left and right[1]. The upward gaze and strong contrast gave the image an idealized, almost propaganda-like quality that set it apart from standard campaign photography. Fairey told the Smithsonian he wanted something that "seemed to transcend the limitations of a photograph" and felt like "a passionate art piece" reflecting the idealism of the subject[1].

The design drew on social realist traditions. Design writer Steven Heller placed it in a lineage of contemporary artists making "posters that break the mold not only in terms of color and style but also in message and tone"[16]. Fairey himself cited a photo of John F. Kennedy and the image of Abraham Lincoln on the U.S. five-dollar bill as visual touchstones[16].

## How It Spread
Those initial 10,000 posters were mailed to supporters in states that hadn't yet held primaries or caucuses[1]. Copies were handed out at Oprah's rally at USC, and a free downloadable version went up on Fairey's website so anyone could make their own sign[1]. Sergant proved instrumental in getting posters into the hands of committed Obama supporters around the country[1].

By mid-February 2008, about a month after Fairey created the design, it was everywhere. Obama's campaign reached out directly, and the image was showing up at rallies, on C-SPAN, and on CNN[1]. Obama met Fairey at a Los Angeles fundraiser, pulled the sticker from his pocket, and said "Wow, I love this image" and asked how he'd gotten it spread so fast[1].

Unofficial reproduction exploded. By July 2008, over 200,000 vinyl stickers had been printed[7]. The Wall Street Journal began tracking eBay prices for the original prints, which climbed from $45 to $3,000 and hit $10,000 by June[7]. A mixed-media painting by Fairey in the same style sold for $108,000 that July[7]. By October 2008, Fairey and Sergant reported printing 300,000 posters, fewer than 2,000 of which were sold, the rest given away or displayed[16]. Over 1,000,000 stickers were also printed and distributed[16].

At the Democratic National Convention in Denver, every vendor on the street had unauthorized pins, stickers, posters, and T-shirts bearing the design[1]. Fairey himself was arrested during the convention for illegally posting art, spending a night in jail[7]. Time magazine commissioned a similar portrait from Fairey for its 2008 Person of the Year cover[1].

## How to Use
The "Hope" poster became one of the most reproduced political image templates. The typical process:
1. Start with a portrait photo, ideally showing the subject looking slightly upward
2. Apply a four-color filter (red, beige/cream, light blue, dark blue) to create the high-contrast stencil look
3. Add a single bold word beneath the image

## Cultural Impact
The poster landed in major institutional collections. The National Portrait Gallery acquired Fairey's original collage for its permanent collection in January 2009[1]. The Museum of Modern Art in New York holds an example of the *Obama Hope Gold* serigraph[16]. Time magazine commissioned Fairey to create Obama's Person of the Year cover in December 2008[1].

The copyright case between Fairey and the AP became a reference point for debates about fair use and artistic freedom. Stanford's Fair Use Project took up Fairey's defense, framing the case as critical for "the right to fair use so that all artists can create freely"[10]. The AP's position, backed by their eventual partial victory, reinforced the principle that photojournalists deserve compensation when their work is used commercially[5]. AP President Gary Pruitt said after sentencing that he hoped the case would "serve as a clear reminder to all of the importance of fair compensation for those who gather and produce original news content"[5].

The poster also influenced political imagery in the opposite direction. The Obama "Joker" poster, created by 20-year-old student Firas Alkhateeb in January 2009, was partly inspired by Fairey's approach to Obama portraiture[18]. Alkhateeb used Photoshop to apply Joker face paint from *The Dark Knight* over an Obama photograph, and an unknown person later added the caption "socialism"[18]. The Guardian called it "the American right's first successful use of street art"[18].

Anti-Gaddafi protesters in Chicago co-opted the "Hope" style during the 2011 Libyan civil war, and *Mad* magazine parodied it with an Alfred E. Neuman "NOPE" poster[16].

## Fun Facts
- Fairey sold his first 350 prints for $45 each. Resellers flipped them on eBay for up to $10,000 within months, much to Fairey's annoyance[7].
- Mannie Garcia, the photographer whose image was used, didn't realize the poster was based on his photo until someone told him over a year after it was created. He still said he was "so proud of the photograph and that Fairey did what he did artistically with it"[2][3].
- The mystery of which photographer took the source image involved a months-long detective hunt by bloggers and gallery owners, with multiple false leads pointing to a Reuters photographer and a Getty photographer before Garcia was identified[12].
- Fairey was arrested and spent a night in jail at the Denver Democratic National Convention for illegally posting his art, the same convention that nominated Obama[7].
- Fairey's OBEY street art career started in 1989 with a sticker of wrestler Andre the Giant made on a whim while teaching a friend to make stencils at the Rhode Island School of Design[15].

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is the Obama "Hope" poster?
The Obama "Hope" poster is a stylized red, white, and blue stencil portrait of Barack Obama created by artist Shepard Fairey in January 2008, with the word "HOPE" beneath the image[1]. It became the defining visual of Obama's presidential campaign.

### Where did the Obama "Hope" poster come from?
Shepard Fairey created it in late January 2008 after getting permission from the Obama campaign through publicist Yosi Sergant[16]. He based the design on a photograph by Mannie Garcia taken at a 2006 National Press Club event[2].

### What does the Obama "Hope" poster mean?
The poster was designed to inspire support for Obama's candidacy. Fairey said he aimed to capture "vision, confidence, patriotism" and the convergence of left and right through the half-blue, half-red face shading[1].

### How do you use the Obama "Hope" poster?
The format is widely used as a template. Apply a four-color filter to a portrait photo and add a single word beneath it. Web tools like Obamicon.Me automated the process[13]. People use it for both sincere tribute and satirical commentary.

### Is the Obama "Hope" poster still popular?
The poster is a classic of political graphic design, recognized worldwide and held in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art[1][16]. The template is still used for parodies and political commentary.

### Who took the original photograph used for the poster?
Freelance photographer Mannie Garcia took the photo on April 27, 2006, while on assignment for the Associated Press at a National Press Club event about Darfur[2]. He was there to photograph George Clooney and captured Obama as a secondary subject.

### What happened in the copyright lawsuit?
The AP claimed Fairey used their copyrighted photograph without permission. Fairey filed a pre-emptive fair use lawsuit in February 2009[3]. The civil case settled in January 2011 with both sides agreeing to share rights to the "Hope" image[4].

### Did Shepard Fairey go to jail?
No. Fairey pleaded guilty to criminal contempt in February 2012 for destroying evidence and fabricating documents during the lawsuit[6]. He was sentenced to two years of probation, 300 hours of community service, and a $25,000 fine[5].

### Why did Fairey lie about which photo he used?
Fairey initially claimed he used a wider shot showing Obama next to George Clooney, which would have strengthened his fair use argument by suggesting more transformation was needed[11]. When he realized the AP was right about which close-up photo he actually used, he tried to cover it up rather than admit his mistake[10].

### What was the original word on the poster?
The first version said "PROGRESS," not "HOPE." The Obama campaign requested the change to "HOPE" because of concerns about the connotations of the original word[8][16].

### How much did the original prints sell for?
The first edition of 350 sold for $45 each on Fairey's website[7]. Resale prices on eBay climbed to $3,000 and eventually $10,000[7]. A mixed-media painting in the same style sold for $108,000 at auction in July 2008[7].

### How many posters and stickers were made?
By October 2008, Fairey and Sergant reported printing 300,000 posters and distributing over 1,000,000 stickers[16]. Fewer than 2,000 of the posters were sold; the rest were given away.

### Where is the original poster now?
The original 60-by-44-inch mixed-media collage was donated to the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery by collectors Heather and Tony Podesta in January 2009[1]. It is part of the permanent collection.

### Did Obama ever comment on the poster?
Obama sent Fairey a letter thanking him for the image about a month after it was created[1]. At a Los Angeles fundraiser, Obama told Fairey "Wow, I love this image" and asked how he'd spread it so quickly[1].

### Did Fairey make money from the poster?
Fairey maintained that he never personally profited from the image, saying that revenue from sales was reinvested into producing more posters, stickers, and merchandise in support of the Obama campaign, and donated to charity[9]. The AP disputed this claim[4].

### Did the photographer know his photo was used?
Mannie Garcia did not realize the poster was based on his photograph until it was pointed out to him roughly a year after the poster's creation. When told, he said he was proud of both the photo and what Fairey did with it[2][3].

## References
1. [Shepard Fairey: The Artist Behind the Obama Portrait](<https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/shepard-fairey-the-artist-behind-the-obama-portrait-45936012/>)
2. [Obama's Hope Poster: The Copyright Battle And Legal Aftermath | LawShun](<https://lawshun.com/article/what-happened-with-the-copyright-laws-on-obama-hope-poster>)
3. [Obama 'Hope' poster artist Shepard Fairey fined - BBC News](<https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-19522210>)
4. [Barack Obama "Joker" poster](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_%22Joker%22_poster>)
5. [Andre the Giant Has a Posse - Wikipedia](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_the_Giant_Has_a_Posse>)
6. [Shepard Fairey - Wikipedia](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepard_Fairey>)
7. [Rene Wanner's Poster Page / Shepard Fairey posters for Barack Obama](<http://www.posterpage.ch/exhib/ex216oba/ex216oba.htm>)
8. [SUPER WEDNESDAY - Obey Giant](<https://www.obeygiant.com/headlines/super-wednesday#more-563>)
9. [Obey Giant - The Art of Shepard Fairey](<https://www.obeygiant.com/>)
10. [Make Your Own Obama Style Poster](<https://www.buzzfeed.com/jaytierney/make-your-own-obama-style-poster-5vd>)
11. [OBAMA - Obey Giant](<https://www.obeygiant.com/headlines/obama#more-541>)
12. [Obamicon.Me Turns Snapshots Into Stylized Obama Posters | Lifehacker](<https://lifehacker.com/5155834/obamiconme-turns-snapshots-into-stylized-obama-posters>)
13. [Mannie Garcia’s Obama Image: Journalism as Art - The New York Times](<https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/arts/design/24photo.html?pagewanted=all>)
14. [Shepard Fairey and The A.P. Settle Legal Dispute - The New York Times](<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/arts/design/13fairey.html?_r=1>)
15. [Artist Files Lawsuit Against The Associated Press Over Image of Obama - The New York Times](<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/arts/design/10fair.html>)
16. [Hope, Dope, Grope, and Other Obamunist Posters - The People's Cube - Political Satire](<http://thepeoplescube.com/peoples-blog/hope-dope-grope-and-other-obamunist-posters-t1884.html>)
17. [The AP, OBAMA & Referencing - Obey Giant](<http://web.archive.org/web/20090327071440/http://obeygiant.com/headlines/the-ap-obama-referencing>)
18. [Shepard Fairey Pleads Guilty Over Obama 'Hope' Image - The New York Times](<http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/shepard-fairey-pleads-guilty-over-obama-hope-image/>)
19. [Shepard Fairey Responds To The AP: Yes, I Lied. But It Was Still Fair Use. | TechCrunch](<http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/16/shepard-fairey-responds-to-the-ap-yes-i-lied-but-it-was-still-fair-use/>)
20. [A.P. Says It Owns Image in Obama Poster - The New York Times](<http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/ap-says-it-owns-image-in-obama-poster/>)
21. [The Obama HOPE Photo Mystery Continues!](<https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2009/01/19/who-took-the-presidential-campaigns-most-famous-photo.html>)
22. [AP Claims Shepard Fairey Admits To Lying And Trying To Destroy Evidence; His Counsel Quits (Updated) | TechCrunch](<http://techcrunch.com/2009/10/16/ap-claims-shepard-fairey-admits-to-lying-and-trying-to-destroy-evidence-his-counsel-quits/>)
23. [Barack Obama "Hope" poster explained](<https://everything.explained.today/Barack_Obama_"Hope"_poster/>)

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