The Final State of the Union
This is historical material “frozen in time”. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
Summary:
Take a look at the year in firsts, and be sure to stay tuned for lots more ways to engage in 2015.
On day one, President Obama committed to making his Administration the most open and participatory in history. And six years later, we’re still at it. At the White House, we're constantly looking for new ways to connect with citizens around the country on the issues that they care the most about.
This year, a "We the People" petition became law. We hosted a virtual Big Block of Cheese Day. President Obama answered your questions during a Tumblr Q&A and took a virtual road trip on Google+. The First Lady asked "turnip for what?" in a Vine Q&A, and a Maker Faire came to the White House.
From joining new social media platforms to bringing in innovators, 2014 was a big year for "first-ever" moments that invited Americans to engage with their government. Take a look at highlights from the year, and be sure to stay tuned for a lot more ways to engage in 2015.
We hosted the first-ever virtual "Big Block of Cheese Day."
January 29, 2014
President Obama went on a virtual road trip on Google+.
January 31, 2014
Students were honored at the first-ever White House Film Festival.
February 28, 2014
President Barack Obama speaks with students in the State Dining Room prior to the White House Student Film Festival in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 28, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Vice President Biden posted his first Instagram.
April 16, 2014
President Obama answered your questions in his first-ever Tumblr Q&A.
June 10, 2014
The White House hosted its first-ever Maker Faire.
June 18, 2014
President Barack Obama looks at Lindsay Lawlor’s 17-foot-tall, 2,200-lb robotic giraffe on the South Lawn of the White House during the first White House Maker Faire, June 18, 2014. The creation “walks” on wheels and is powered by a 12-horsepower hybrid fuel-engine motor. Lindsay designed the Robotic Giraffe to play music, feature innovative lighting displays, and it can hold up to 30 people in its carriage. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
The Vice President took the pen on his first White House White Board.
July 23, 2014
A "We the People" petition on cell phone unlocking became the first petition to lead to a legislative fix.
August 1, 2014
President Barack Obama signs S. 517, Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, in the Oval Office, Aug. 1, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
The First Lady joined Upworthy as a guest curator.
September 8, 2014
President Obama talked innovation in America when he joined the publishing platform Medium.
October 9, 2014
The First Lady answered your questions in her first-ever Vine Q&A.
October 14, 2014
Hey, @Alphacat. The First Lady wants to know… #TurnipForWhat? https://t.co/WL7jCellbC #AskTheFirstLady #TD4W
— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) October 15, 2014
The first-ever 3D-printed presidential portrait was unveiled.
December 2, 2014
President Obama became the first President to write a line of code.
December 8, 2014
See more from 2014:
