Barack Obama | Biography, Parents, Education, Presidency, Books, & Facts

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border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barack-Obama">Barack Obama</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/biography/Barack-Obama">Introduction & Top Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref281896"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama#ref281896">Early life</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref384381"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama#ref384381">At a glance: the Obama presidency</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref281897"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Politics-and-ascent-to-the-presidency">Politics and ascent to the presidency</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref288147"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Politics-and-ascent-to-the-presidency#ref288147">Presidency</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref296546"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Politics-and-ascent-to-the-presidency#ref296546">The Nobel Peace Prize and partisanship</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref296547"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Passage-of-health-care-reform">Passage of health care reform</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref296548"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Passage-of-health-care-reform#ref296548">Economic challenges</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref296549"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Passage-of-health-care-reform#ref296549">Deepwater Horizon oil spill</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref296550"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Wars-in-Iraq-and-Afghanistan">Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref298256"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Wars-in-Iraq-and-Afghanistan#ref298256">The midterm congressional election and its aftermath</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref300266"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Wars-in-Iraq-and-Afghanistan#ref300266">Upheaval in the Middle East</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref301069"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Budget-battles">Budget battles</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref308226"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/The-2012-election">The 2012 election</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref310525"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/The-2012-election#ref310525">The gun-control debate and sequestration</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref310526"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Spring-scandals-and-summer-challenges">Spring scandals and summer challenges</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref323193"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Taking-heat-and-taking-the-lead">Taking heat and taking the lead</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref328382"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Executive-action-and-the-2014-midterm-election">Executive action and the 2014 midterm election</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref328383"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Executive-action-and-the-2014-midterm-election#ref328383">Baltimore riot, Charleston shooting, Supreme Court approval of same-sex marriage, and agreement with Iran</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref332036"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/More-executive-action">More executive action</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref335155"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/More-executive-action#ref335155">Historic trips and more shootings</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref340130"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Life-after-the-presidency">Life after the presidency</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref282479"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/Life-after-the-presidency#ref282479">President Obama’s cabinet</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barack-Obama/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Barack-Obama">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barack-Obama/images-videos">Images, Videos & Interactives</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/89/164789-050-D6B5E2C7/Barack-Obama-2012.jpg" data-href="/media/1/973560/235570" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/89/164789-004-7841105F/Barack-Obama-2012.jpg" alt="Barack Obama" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/58/127958-050-A35A1D27/Barack-Obama-Michelle-president-January-20-2009.jpg" data-href="/media/1/973560/123621" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/58/127958-004-47D023C1/Barack-Obama-Michelle-president-January-20-2009.jpg" alt="Barack Obama: inauguration" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/139924-050-3F219287/events-life-Barack-Obama.jpg" data-href="/media/1/973560/155621" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img 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src="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/152051-138-E94943C0/Janny-Scott-A-Singular-Woman-The-Untold.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="The untold story of Ann Dunham, Barack Obama's mother" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="" data-href="/media/1/973560/312284" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/254741-049-814B618E/Barack-Obama-44th-president-of-the-United-States-US-2009-17-Democratic-Party-Infogram-interactive.jpg" alt="Presidency of Barack Obama" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/70/125170-050-9603CA20/Barack-Obama-keynote-speech-Democratic-National-Convention-July-27-2004.jpg" data-href="/media/1/973560/119256" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/70/125170-004-7D5A1719/Barack-Obama-keynote-speech-Democratic-National-Convention-July-27-2004.jpg" alt="Barack Obama: 2004 Democratic National Convention" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/19/101219-050-A07A26EF/Barack-Obama.jpg" data-href="/media/1/973560/101288" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/19/101219-004-9F07ECDB/Barack-Obama.jpg" alt="Barack Obama" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/95/125195-050-9E840743/Barack-Obama-cover-Hillary-Clinton-Newsweek-Jan-1-2007.jpg" data-href="/media/1/973560/119254" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/95/125195-004-5C3717E2/Barack-Obama-cover-Hillary-Clinton-Newsweek-Jan-1-2007.jpg" alt="Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/125172-050-1E266D04/Barack-Obama-2006.jpg" 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Obama</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Barack-Obama/470904" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barack Obama - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Barack-Obama/435254" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barack Obama - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Barack Hussein Obama II</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/David-Mendell/6813" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">David Mendell</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Journalist. Author of <em>Obama: From Promise to Power.</em></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> David Mendell</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/Jeff-Wallenfeldt/6749" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Jeff Wallenfeldt</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Jeff Wallenfeldt was manager of Geography and History at Encyclopaedia Britannica.      </div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Jeff Wallenfeldt</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barack-Obama/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-22T00:00:00CST" >Nov 22, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barack-Obama/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>In full: </dt> <dd>Barack Hussein Obama II</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Born: </dt> <dd>August 4, 1961, <a href="/place/Honolulu">Honolulu</a>, <a href="/place/Hawaii-state">Hawaii</a>, <a href="/place/United-States">U.S.</a> (age 63)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Also Known As: </dt> <dd>Barack Hussein Obama II</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Title / Office: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/presidency-of-the-United-States-of-America">presidency of the United States of America (2009-2017)</a>, <a href="/place/United-States">United States</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Senate-United-States-government">United States Senate (2005-2008)</a>, <a href="/place/United-States">United States</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Political Affiliation: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Democratic-Party">Democratic Party</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Awards And Honors: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Nobel-Prize">Nobel Prize (2009)</a></dd> <dd><a href="/art/Grammy-Award">Grammy Award (2007)</a></dd> <dd><a href="/art/Grammy-Award">Grammy Award (2005)</a></dd> <dd>Grammy Award (2008): Best Spoken Word Album</dd> <dd>Grammy Award (2006): Best Spoken Word Album</dd> <dd>Nobel Peace Prize (2009)</dd> <dd>John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award (2017)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Notable Works: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/A-Promised-Land">“A Promised Land”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Dreams-from-My-Father-A-Story-of-Race-and-Inheritance">“Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/The-Audacity-of-Hope-Thoughts-on-Reclaiming-the-American-Dream">“The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream”</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Notable Family Members: </dt> <dd>spouse <a href="/biography/Michelle-Obama">Michelle Obama</a></dd> <dd>son of Barack Obama, Sr.</dd> <dd><a href="/biography/S-Ann-Dunham"></a>son of S. Ann Dunham</dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Michelle-Obama"></a>married to Michelle Obama (1992–present)</dd> <dd>father of Malia Obama (b. 1998)</dd> <dd>father of Sasha Obama (b. 2001)</dd> <dd>half brother of Maya Soetoro-Ng</dd> <dd>half brother of Auma Obama</dd> <dd>half brother of Mark Obama Ndesandjo</dd> <dd>half brother of David Ndesandjo</dd> <dd>half brother of Malik Obama</dd> <dd>half brother of George Obama</dd> <dd>half brother of Abo Obama</dd> <dd>half brother of Samson Obama</dd> <dd>half brother of Bernard Obama</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Role In: </dt> <dd><a href="/event/Afghanistan-War">Afghanistan War</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Iraq-War">Iraq War</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Strategic-Arms-Reduction-Talks">Strategic Arms Reduction Talks</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Syrian-Civil-War">Syrian Civil War</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/United-States-Presidential-Election-of-2012">United States presidential election of 2012</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-2008">United States presidential election of 2008</a></dd> <dd><a href="/money/Patient-Protection-and-Affordable-Care-Act">Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Paris-Agreement-2015">Paris Agreement</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/USA-PATRIOT-Act">USA PATRIOT Act</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Education: </dt> <dd>Punahou School</dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Occidental-College" extertnal="false">Occidental College</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Columbia-University" extertnal="false">Columbia University (B.A., 1983)</a></dd> <dd><a href="/place/Harvard-Law-School" extertnal="false">Harvard Law School (J.D., 1991)</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Founder Of: </dt> <dd>Higher Ground Productions</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Published Works: </dt> <dd>"Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters" (2010)</dd> <dd>"Our Enduring Spirit: President Barack Obama's First Words to America" (2009)</dd> <dd><a href="/topic/The-Audacity-of-Hope-Thoughts-on-Reclaiming-the-American-Dream" extertnal="false">"The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" (2006)</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Dreams-from-My-Father-A-Story-of-Race-and-Inheritance" extertnal="false">"Dreams from My Father" (1995)</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Twitter Handle: </dt> <dd><a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama" external="true">@BarackObama</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Instagram Username: </dt> <dd><a href="https://www.instagram.com/barackobama/" external="true">barackobama</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Barack-Obama"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> <button class="facts-list-show-more-btn mt-15 p-0 mx-auto btn font-14 d-block font-weight-normal"> <span class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></span> <span class="show-more-label">Show More</span> </button> </div><script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Who were Barack Obama\u2019s parents? <\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Barack Obama\u2019s parents married while students at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/University-of-Hawaii\">University of Hawaii<\/a>. His father, Barack Obama, Sr., a Kenyan, became an economist in the government of Kenya. His mother, S. Ann Dunham, became an anthropologist. They divorced in 1964. Ann then married (and later divorced) another foreign student, Indonesian Lolo Soetoro. " } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Where did Barack Obama attend school? <\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Barack Obama graduated from Punahou School, an elite academy in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Honolulu\">Honolulu<\/a>, and then attended <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Occidental-College\">Occidental College<\/a> before transferring to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Columbia-University\">Columbia University<\/a> and earning (1983) a B.A. in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/political-science\">political science<\/a>. He graduated (1991) magna cum laude from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Harvard-University\">Harvard University<\/a>\u2019s law school and was the first African American president of the <em>Harvard Law Review<\/em>. " } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What did Barack Obama do for a living? <\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "After working as a writer and editor in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Manhattan-New-York-City\">Manhattan<\/a>, Barack Obama became a community organizer in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Chicago\">Chicago<\/a>, lectured on constitutional law at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/University-of-Chicago\">University of Chicago<\/a>, worked as a civil rights attorney, and then served in the Illinois Senate (1997\u20132004), as a U.S. senator (2005\u201308), and as U.S. president (2009\u201317). " } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What did Barack Obama write? <\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Barack Obama\u2019s first book, <em>Dreams from My Father<\/em> (1995), is the story of his search for his biracial identity by tracing the lives of his now-deceased father and extended family in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Kenya\">Kenya<\/a>. His second book, <em>The Audacity of Hope<\/em> (2006), is a polemic on his vision for the United States. " } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is Barack Obama famous for? <\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Barack Obama was the first African American president of the United States (2009\u201317). He oversaw the recovery of the U.S. economy (from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/money\/great-recession\">Great Recession of 2008\u201309<\/a>) and the enactment of landmark health care reform (the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/money\/Patient-Protection-and-Affordable-Care-Act\">Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act<\/a>). In 2009 he was awarded the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Nobel-Prize\">Nobel Peace<\/a> Prize. " } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Are DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the DREAM Act, supported by Barack Obama, good for America?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Whether DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the DREAM Act, supported by Barack Obama, are good for America is widely debated. Some say the policies are are good for the U.S. economy and deporting Dreamers is cruel. Others say the policies only encourage more illegal immigration and amnesty should not be given to law breakers. For more on the Dreamer debate, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.procon.org\/headlines\/are-daca-and-the-dream-act-good-for-america\/\">ProCon.org<\/a>." } } ] } </script> <div class="top-questions qa-accordion d-flex flex-column module-spacing"><div class="font-weight-bold font-14 mb-5"> Top Questions </div><div id="intent-accordion" class="md-intent-accordion"><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="1"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Who were Barack Obama’s parents? </div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Barack Obama’s parents married while students at the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-Hawaii" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">University of Hawaii</a>. His father, Barack Obama, Sr., a Kenyan, became an economist in the government of Kenya. His mother, S. Ann Dunham, became an anthropologist. They divorced in 1964. Ann then married (and later divorced) another foreign student, Indonesian Lolo Soetoro. </p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="2"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Where did Barack Obama attend school? </div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Barack Obama graduated from Punahou School, an elite academy in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Honolulu" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Honolulu</a>, and then attended <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Occidental-College" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Occidental College</a> before transferring to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Columbia-University" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Columbia University</a> and earning (1983) a B.A. in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-science" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">political science</a>. He graduated (1991) magna cum laude from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Harvard-University" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Harvard University</a>’s law school and was the first African American president of the <em>Harvard Law Review</em>. </p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="3"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What did Barack Obama do for a living? </div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>After working as a writer and editor in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Manhattan-New-York-City" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Manhattan</a>, Barack Obama became a community organizer in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Chicago" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chicago</a>, lectured on constitutional law at the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-Chicago" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">University of Chicago</a>, worked as a civil rights attorney, and then served in the Illinois Senate (1997–2004), as a U.S. senator (2005–08), and as U.S. president (2009–17). </p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="4"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What did Barack Obama write? </div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Barack Obama’s first book, <em>Dreams from My Father</em> (1995), is the story of his search for his biracial identity by tracing the lives of his now-deceased father and extended family in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Kenya" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Kenya</a>. His second book, <em>The Audacity of Hope</em> (2006), is a polemic on his vision for the United States. </p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="5"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is Barack Obama famous for? </div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Barack Obama was the first African American president of the United States (2009–17). He oversaw the recovery of the U.S. economy (from the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/great-recession" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Great Recession of 2008–09</a>) and the enactment of landmark health care reform (the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/Patient-Protection-and-Affordable-Care-Act" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act</a>). In 2009 he was awarded the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nobel-Prize" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Nobel Peace</a> Prize. </p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="6"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Are DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the DREAM Act, supported by Barack Obama, good for America?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Whether DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the DREAM Act, supported by Barack Obama, are good for America is widely debated. Some say the policies are are good for the U.S. economy and deporting Dreamers is cruel. Others say the policies only encourage more illegal immigration and amnesty should not be given to law breakers. For more on the Dreamer debate, visit <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.procon.org/headlines/are-daca-and-the-dream-act-good-for-america/" data-show-preview="true">ProCon.org</a>.</p></div></div> </div><button class="show-more-button js-toggle-top-questions btn btn-unstyled font-14 d-flex pr-10 rounded-sm"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></button></div></div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/973560/1c7daf57241bee1ae49dc817a0afba1f" rel="nofollow">Gaetz's withdrawal highlights how incoming presidents often lose Cabinet nominees</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 22, 2024, 12:02 AM ET (AP) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/973560/24753cdd48514c68a832a6a1c255337c" rel="nofollow">Trump returns to Washington vowing a smooth transition -- something he didn't ensure four years ago</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 13, 2024, 3:28 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/973560/7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887" rel="nofollow">Trump names Tom Homan, former director of immigration enforcement, as 'border czar'</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 11, 2024, 4:31 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/973560/6ad7c112e2e1af6ff4fe2ebb4117eef5" rel="nofollow">Biden's White House invitation to Trump continues a tradition Trump shunned in 2020</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 11, 2024, 3:57 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/973560/5588bafd05471d4c4fb0145db21291d2" rel="nofollow">Biden gets blamed by Harris allies for the vice president's resounding loss to Trump</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 7, 2024, 2:46 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="123621" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/58/127958-050-A35A1D27/Barack-Obama-Michelle-president-January-20-2009.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/973560/123621"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/58/127958-050-A35A1D27/Barack-Obama-Michelle-president-January-20-2009.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/58/127958-050-A35A1D27/Barack-Obama-Michelle-president-January-20-2009.jpg?w=300" alt="Barack Obama: inauguration" data-width="1600" data-height="1143" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">1 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/58/127958-050-A35A1D27/Barack-Obama-Michelle-president-January-20-2009.jpg" data-href="/media/1/973560/123621">Barack Obama: inauguration</a><span>Barack Obama—with his wife, Michelle—being sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, January 20, 2009.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="155621" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/139924-050-3F219287/events-life-Barack-Obama.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/973560/155621"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/139924-050-3F219287/events-life-Barack-Obama.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/139924-050-3F219287/events-life-Barack-Obama.jpg?w=300" alt="Barack Obama: timeline" data-width="1600" data-height="640" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">2 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/24/139924-050-3F219287/events-life-Barack-Obama.jpg" data-href="/media/1/973560/155621">Barack Obama: timeline</a><span>Key events in the life of Barack Obama.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref807529"></span>Barack Obama</strong> (born August 4, 1961, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.) is the 44th <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/presidency-of-the-United-States-of-America" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">president of the United States</a> (2009–17) and the first African American to hold the office. Before winning the presidency, Obama represented <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Illinois-state" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Illinois</a> in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Senate-United-States-government" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">U.S. Senate</a> (2005–08). He was the third African American to be elected to that body since the end of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Reconstruction-United-States-history" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Reconstruction</a> (1877). In 2009 he was awarded the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nobel-Prize" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Nobel Peace Prize</a> “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/diplomacy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">diplomacy</a> and cooperation between peoples.”</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref281896"> <h2 class="h1">Early life</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="197773" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="video" video-id="172743"><a data-id="172743" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/overview-Barack-Obama/-197773"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/172743-138-545C299D/overview-Barack-Obama.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="How Barack Obama became the first Black president of the United States" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/v5DNDcEL.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/43/172743-138-545C299D/overview-Barack-Obama.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/fXk7NkNd.vtt", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/XdsNejY0.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="172743">How Barack Obama became the first Black president of the United States</span><span>An overview of Barack Obama.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Obama’s father, <span id="ref1258541"></span>Barack Obama, Sr., was a teenage goatherd in rural <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Kenya" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Kenya</a>, won a scholarship to study in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">United States</a>, and eventually became a senior economist in the Kenyan government. Obama’s mother, <span id="ref1119437"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/S-Ann-Dunham" class="md-crosslink ">S. Ann Dunham</a>, grew up in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Kansas" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Kansas</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Texas-state" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Texas</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Washington-state" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Washington</a> state before her family settled in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Honolulu" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Honolulu</a>. In 1960 she and Barack Sr. met in a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Russian-language" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Russian language</a> class at the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-Hawaii" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">University of Hawaii</a> and married less than a year later.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">When Obama was age two, Barack Sr. left to study at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Harvard-University" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Harvard University</a>; shortly thereafter, in 1964, Ann and Barack Sr. divorced. (Obama saw his father only one more time, during a brief visit when Obama was 10.) Later Ann remarried, this time to another foreign student, Lolo Soetoro from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Indonesia" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Indonesia</a>, with whom she had a second child, Maya. Obama lived for several years in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Jakarta" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Jakarta</a> with his half sister, mother, and stepfather. While there, Obama <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="attended" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/attended" data-type="EB">attended</a> both a government-run school where he received some instruction in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Islam" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Islam</a> and a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roman-Catholicism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Catholic</a> private school where he took part in Christian schooling.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">He returned to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Hawaii-state" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hawaii</a> in 1971 and lived in a modest apartment, sometimes with his grandparents and sometimes with his mother (she remained for a time in Indonesia, returned to Hawaii, and then went abroad again—partly to pursue work on a Ph.D.—before divorcing Soetoro in 1980). For a brief period his mother was aided by government food stamps, but the family mostly lived a middle-class existence. In 1979 Obama graduated from Punahou School, an elite college preparatory academy in Honolulu.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Obama attended <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Occidental-College" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Occidental College</a> in suburban <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Los-Angeles-California" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Los Angeles</a> for two years and then transferred to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Columbia-University" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Columbia University</a> in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/New-York-City" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">New York City</a>, where in 1983 he received a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/bachelors-degree" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">bachelor’s degree</a> in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-science" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">political science</a>. Influenced by professors who pushed him to take his studies more seriously, Obama experienced great <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="intellectual" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intellectual" data-type="MW">intellectual</a> growth during college and for a couple of years thereafter. He led a rather <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="ascetic" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascetic" data-type="MW">ascetic</a> life and read works of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/literature" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">literature</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/philosophy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">philosophy</a> by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Shakespeare" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">William Shakespeare</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Friedrich-Nietzsche" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Friedrich Nietzsche</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Toni-Morrison" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Toni Morrison</a>, and others. After serving for a couple of years as a writer and editor for Business International Corp., a research, publishing, and consulting firm in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Manhattan-New-York-City" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Manhattan</a>, he took a position in 1985 as a <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="community" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community" data-type="MW">community</a> organizer on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Chicago" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chicago</a>’s largely impoverished Far South Side. He returned to school three years later and graduated magna cum laude in 1991 from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Harvard-University" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Harvard University</a>’s law school, where he was the first African American to serve as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/president-government-official" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">president</a> of the <em>Harvard Law Review</em>. While a summer associate in 1989 at the Chicago law firm of Sidley Austin, Obama had met Chicago native <span id="ref1078859"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michelle-Obama" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Michelle Robinson</a>, a young lawyer at the firm. The two married in 1992.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/us-presidents-and-their-years-in-office-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/164744-131-7A6008A3/Richard-M-Nixon-campaign-stop-crowd-gesture-1968.jpg" alt="Richard M. Nixon. Richard Nixon during a 1968 campaign stop. President Nixon" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">U.S. Presidents and Their Years in Office Quiz</div> </div> </a><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="160540" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="video" video-id="152051"><a data-id="152051" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/Janny-Scott-A-Singular-Woman-The-Untold/-160540"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/152051-138-E94943C0/Janny-Scott-A-Singular-Woman-The-Untold.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="The untold story of Ann Dunham, Barack Obama's mother" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/kRqlmedF.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/51/152051-138-E94943C0/Janny-Scott-A-Singular-Woman-The-Untold.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/HEW5vk9w", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/BglAX88A.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="152051">The untold story of Ann Dunham, Barack Obama's mother</span><span>Janny Scott discussing her book <em>A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mother</em> (2011), touching on topics such as how the former president's parents met, the spurious “birther” claims about his country of origin, and his childhood experiences in Indonesia, among others.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/biography/Barack-Obama/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">After receiving his law degree, Obama moved to Chicago and became active in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Democratic-Party" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Democratic Party</a>. He organized <span id="ref1258542"></span>Project Vote, a drive that registered tens of thousands of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/African-American" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">African Americans</a> on voting rolls and that is <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="credited" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/credited" data-type="EB">credited</a> with helping Democrat <span id="ref1078860"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bill-Clinton" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bill Clinton</a> win Illinois and capture the presidency in 1992. The effort also helped make <span id="ref1078861"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carol-Moseley-Braun" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Carol Moseley Braun</a>, an Illinois state legislator, the first African American woman elected to the U.S. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Senate-United-States-government" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Senate</a>. During this period, Obama wrote his first book and saw it published. The memoir, <em><span id="ref939404"></span>Dreams from My Father</em> (1995), is the story of Obama’s search for his biracial identity by tracing the lives of his now-deceased father and his <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/extended-family" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">extended family</a> in Kenya. Obama lectured on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/constitutional-law" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">constitutional law</a> at the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-Chicago" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">University of Chicago</a> and worked as an attorney on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/civil-rights" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">civil rights</a> issues.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker h3"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref384381"> <h2 class="h1">At a glance: the Obama presidency</h2> <div class="mb-20"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="312284" data-asm-type="infogram"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="infogram"><script id="infogram_0__/pmaQHLqXfekn2nTCgEaY" src="https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed.js?Itp" type="text/javascript" title="Presidency of Barack Obama"></script></div></figure></div></div> </section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":11,"pageId":973560,"pageLength":737,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"BIO_PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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