Barack Obama took some time to reconnect with Jacob Philadelphia, the young man who is now graduating from high school years after being featured in an iconic photo with the former president. Philadelphia was 5 years old when he went to the Oval Office to meet Obama. The little boy at that time wondered if he had the same hair as the president.
That’s when Obama bowed down, allowing the boy to touch his hair.
“Touch it, dude!” the president said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The unforgettable moment was captured in a photo by White House photographer Pete Souza. After reconnecting in honor of Philadelphia’s achievement on Friday, the two reflected on the moment.
“Do you remember me?” Obama said as the two chatted via a video conference.
Philadelphia, of course, said he had vivid memories of Obama and the historic day.
“I remember you telling me that your hair was gonna be gray next time,” Philadelphia told Obama during the video call.
On the same day as his conversation with Obama, the now 18-year-old prepared to graduate from the International School of Uganda. Philadelphia has been living in Uganda as his father, Carlton Philadelphia, works in the U.S. Embassy in Uganda. Thirteen years ago, however, Carlton worked at the National Security Council.
“This gentleman here, Mr. Philadelphia, was a Marine who had served for the National Security Council,” Obama said of Carlton as he pointed to a photo he took with the family.
The former president recalled the heartwarming conversations he had with Carlton’s two little boys, who came to the Oval Office with their parents. Carlton’s older son, Isaac, was more serious, according to Obama.
“He was asking me questions about weapon systems and the budget process,” Obama said in the video.
Jacob, however, just wanted to know if he has the same hair as the president. Looking back at that moment, Jacob said he remembers thinking Obama “was just my dad’s boss.” He also said he felt intimidated by the large office “and him towering over me.” As he grew older, Jacob grasped the power of the moment.
“That was a pretty big highlight of my life,” he said after reconnecting with Obama. “If I get to see another Black man be at the top, be at that pinnacle, then I want to follow that lead.”
The young man’s mother, Roseanne Philadelphia, said Jacob has dreamed of being many things, but “the only thing” that’s been consistent is his desire to become president.
“That’s why he’s going to study political science,” Roseanne told The Los Angeles Times.
When Obama asked him about the challenge of moving abroad from place to place, Jacob said it has been difficult.
“But at the end of the day, we get to see a lot of things that a lot of other kids don’t get a chance to,” he said. “We get to talk to people and see their ideas for how they want to change the world.”
The video of Jacob reuniting with Obama will be shown at the teen’s graduation ceremony on Friday.
“I remember telling Michelle and some of my staff, ‘You know, I think that if I were to win, the day I was sworn into office, young people — particularly African American people, people of color, outsiders, folks who maybe didn’t always feel like they belonged — they’d look at themselves differently to see a person who looked like them in the Oval Office,” Obama said in the video. “It would speak to Black kids and Latino kids, gay kids and young girls. They could see the world open up for them.”
