On May 1, 2011, U.S. time, a team of Navy SEALs raided a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, killing al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was behind the September 11 attacks.
President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and the national security team watched developments from the White House Situation Room.
Famous Photo
White House photographer Pete Souza captured the tense scene in a photograph that became one of the most recognized images of the decade.
Late Night Announcement
Obama announced the news in a televised address late that night, and crowds gathered outside the White House and in New York City.
Learn More
For primary sources, explore the Obama White House archives maintained by the National Archives, the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, and presidential history collections at your local library. Reading accounts from supporters and critics alike gives the fullest picture of any presidency.
Save this pin to your American history board and share it with a fellow history lover. Have a favorite fact about this era? Pin it next to this one.