Obama reunites with the boy who touched his hair in the Oval Office 13 years after the iconic photo was taken

Jacob Philadelphia, a five-year-old boy, stepped into the Oval Office without knowing that he would become part of the legacy of America's first Black commander-in-chief.

Jacob quietly asked a question as he was with his father, mother, and older brother.

He asked Obama if his hair was the same as his, in a tone so low that the president asked him to repeat the question.

After hearing the question, Obama asked if he should touch it and see for himself.

Jacob hesitated to move his hand as the president bent over.

Obama said to "touch it, dude!"

Pete Souza, the White House photographer, named the image "hair like mine" as an expression of the power of representation.

Jacob said it felt the same after Obama asked how it felt to touch his hair.

On Friday, Jacob received a phone call from Obama to congratulate him on his graduation from the International School of Uganda.

The former president told Jacob that the White House visit inspired him.

He replied that it really has.

—Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 27, 2022

The personal significance of the photo was remarked on by Obama during the video call.

The former president said that the picture embodied one of his hopes when he first started running.

He said that if he were to win, young people, particularly African-American people, people of color, and outsiders would be the ones he would win over. To see a person in the Oval Office. It would speak to Black kids and Latino kids and gay kids and young girls how they could see the world open up for them.

Jacob, who plans to study political science at the University of Memphis, opened up about what the White House visit meant to him.

He said that when he was younger, he thought the President was his father's boss. I was a little shy because it was a big room.

He said that he remembered touching his hair and him towering over him. That was a highlight of my life. It is wonderful to see representation in the government because if I get to see another Black man at the top, then I want to follow that lead.