Nine years after Barack Obama's election as the 44th President of the United States, supporters of the former leader are sharing footage of the "electrifying" speech he gave marking the historic victory.

Hundreds of thousands gathered in Chicago's Grant Park on 4 November 2008 to hear the then-Senator give his iconic "Yes we can" address.

America's first black President was met with cheers and screams as he recognised the diversity of the electorate who turned out to vote.

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," he said.

"It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

"It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

"We are, and always will be, the United States of America."

He later referenced Sam Cooke's song, "A Change is Come", an anthem of the civil rights movement.

"It's been a long time coming," he told the crowd, "but tonight – because of what we did on this date, in this election, at this defining moment – change has come to America."

Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Show all 11 1 /11 Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama's best moments in the White House May 19, 2009 “The President was leaving the State Floor after an event and found Sasha in the elevator ready to head upstairs to the private residence. He decided to ride upstairs with her before returning to the Oval Office,” Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Oct. 26, 2012 President Barack Obama pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he greets the son of a White House staffer in the Outer Oval Office Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House “A National Security staffer, Carlton Philadelphia, brought his family to the Oval Office for a farewell photo with President Obama. Carlton’s son, Jacob, softly told the President he had just gotten a haircut like President Obama, and asked if he could feel the President’s head to see if it felt the same as his.” Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House March 21, 2010 The President, Vice President and senior staff applaud after watching on television the House vote on H.R. 4872 for health care reform, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Dec. 3, 2009 President Barack Obama fist-bumps custodian Lawrence Lipscomb in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building following the opening session of the White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Sept. 22, 2015 "The Obama family and Biden family greet Pope Francis as he arrives in the United States for the first time at Joint Base Andrews," Sept. 22, 2015. Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Feb. 21, 2014 President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden participate in a "Let's Move!" video taping on the Colonnade of the White House, Feb. 21, 2014 Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Feb. 18, 2016 President Barack Obama watches First Lady Michelle Obama dance with 106-Year-Old Virginia McLaurin in the Blue Room of the White House prior to a reception celebrating African American History Month, Feb. 18, 2016 Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Jan. 21, 2013 "The President and First Lady wave to supporters as they ride in the inaugural parade. I had asked the President if I could ride in the presidential limousine and the President joked, 'But Michelle and I were planning to make out," Jan. 21, 2013. Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama share a private moment in a freight elevator at an Inaugural Ball, January 2009 all pics: Pete Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama rests his hand on the bible that President Lincoln used for his swear-in, being held by his wife Michelle Obama as he is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America Rex

He ended his speech: "This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope.

"And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."

Footage of the speech has been shared hundreds of thousands of times on Twitter and Facebook, with many comparing it to addresses delivered by current president, Donald Trump.

One Twitter user, Michael, asked: "Does anyone else watch Obama’s 2008 acceptance speech just because hope is better than today[?]"

Another user, who called himself Robert #Resist Sandy, said: "9 years ago today Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States. It was watershed moment for the nation and world.

"But for my hometown of Chicago it was something more personal, deeper. The energy was unlike anything I've ever experienced in my life.

"Strangers just out of the blue drawn to each other, hugging, crying introducing themselves. Spontaneous applause yelling jumping up and down.

He continued: "I was only a couple hundred yards from the stage on which Barack Obama delivered his speech that night. A speech that electrified the world."

The anniversary of the speech came as Donald Trump embarked his first tour of Asia since becoming head of state.

Mr Trump is set to carry out high-stakes talks with the leaders of Japan, South Korea and China amid heightened tensions around the Korean Peninsula.