Barack Obama Quotes: 12 Inspirational Sayings From First Black President In Final Days In Office

President Barack Obama will go down in history as the first African-American to lead White House. But even though the election is Tuesday, the 55-year-old's term isn't over yet — he will serve as the leader of the nation until inauguration on Jan. 20, 2017.

When he exits office, Obama will leave behind a legacy that includes the powerful words he has shared with the American people.

Below are 12 inspirational Obama quotes collected from Brainy Quotes, Quote Zine and Cosmopolitan:

1. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

2. “Let us remember we are all part of one American family. We are united in common values, and that includes belief in equality under the law, basic respect for public order, and the right of peaceful protest.”

3. “There is probably a perverse pride in my administration ... that we were going to do the right thing, even if short term it was unpopular. And I think anybody who's occupied this office has to remember that success is determined by an intersection in policy and politics and that you can't be neglecting of marketing and P.R. and public opinion.”

4. "America isn't about 'yes he will.' It's about 'yes we can.'"

5. “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something.”

6. “Our freedom, our democracy, has never been easy. Sometimes we stumble; we make mistakes; we get frustrated or discouraged. But for more than two hundred years, we have put those things aside and placed our collective shoulder to the wheel of progress — to create and build and expand the possibilities of individual achievement; to free other nations from tyranny and fear; to promote justice, and fairness, and equality under the law, so that the words set to paper by our founders are made real for every citizen. The America we want for our kids — a rising America where honest work is plentiful and communities are strong; where prosperity is widely shared and opportunity for all lets us go as far as our dreams and toil will take us – none of it is easy. But if we work together; if we summon what is best in us, with our feet planted firmly in today but our eyes cast towards tomorrow — I know it’s within our reach.”

7. “In a world of complex threats, our security and leadership depends on all elements of our power — including strong and principled diplomacy.”

8. "America has never been about what one person says he'll do for us. It's always been about what can be achieved by us, together, through the hard, slow, sometimes frustrating but ultimately enduring work of self-government."

9. “We welcome the scrutiny of the world — because what you see in America is a country that has steadily worked to address our problems and make our union more perfect.”

10. “No other country in the world does what we do. On every issue, the world turns to us, not simply because of the size of our economy or our military might — but because of the ideals we stand for and the burdens we bear to advance them.”

11. "America's promises do not come with a price tag. We meet our commitments. And that's one reason why almost every country on Earth sees America as stronger and more respected today than they did eight years ago."

12. “We need to steer clear of this poverty of ambition where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in nice apartments but don't want to work hard to accomplish these things. Everyone should try to realize their full potential.”