Former President Barack Obama said he read 10 letters from regular Americans every night during his time in the White House [1].
This practice highlights the former president's attempt to maintain a personal connection with the electorate despite the massive scale of presidential correspondence. By carving out a specific nightly ritual, Obama sought to ground his policy-making in the lived experiences of individual citizens.
While serving as president from 2009 to 2017, Obama received approximately 40,000 letters daily [1]. Because of the volume, it was impossible to address every piece of mail, but the nightly selection of 10 letters allowed him to engage with a diverse range of perspectives. He said these letters were meaningful to him and provided a direct window into the concerns of the public.
Obama has decided to preserve this connection by displaying these letters at the Obama Presidential Center. The exhibit intends to showcase the voices of ordinary people, and the correspondence they shared with the administration. The center serves as a repository for the documents and memories of his two terms in office.
The habit of reading these letters served as a counterbalance to the formal briefings and high-level meetings that define the daily schedule of a U.S. president. By focusing on a small number of personal stories each night, he was able to maintain a human element in his governance, a practice he believes is essential for any leader of the country.
“Obama read 10 letters from regular Americans every night during his time in the White House”
The decision to archive and display these letters at the Obama Presidential Center transforms private correspondence into a public historical record. It suggests a desire to frame his legacy not just through executive orders or legislation, but through the lens of citizen engagement and the perceived accessibility of the office.
