Barack Hussein Obama II
- Born:
- August 4, 1961, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Lawyer, Professor, Community Organizer, Author, Politician (U.S. Senator, President of the United States)
Early Life and Education
- Born to Barack Obama Sr. and Ann Dunham.
- Lived in Indonesia for several years with his mother and stepfather.
- Returned to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandparents.
- Graduated from Punahou School in 1979.
- Attended Occidental College for two years.
- Transferred to Columbia University, graduating in 1983 with a B.A. in Political Science.
- Worked as a community organizer in Chicago.
- Graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991, magna cum laude, and served as president of the Harvard Law Review.
Career and Major Achievements
- Worked as a civil rights attorney in Chicago.
- Lectured at the University of Chicago Law School.
- Elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996, serving until 2004.
- Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004, representing Illinois.
- Announced his candidacy for President of the United States in 2007.
- Elected President of the United States in 2008, defeating John McCain.
- Re-elected President of the United States in 2012, defeating Mitt Romney.
- Oversaw the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
- Authorized the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
- Ended the Iraq War.
- Established the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Notable Works
- Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance (1995)
- The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (2006)
- A Promised Land (2020)
Legacy and Impact
Barack Obama's presidency marked a significant moment in American history, as he was the first African American to hold the office. His policy achievements, including the Affordable Care Act, continue to shape American society. His efforts to end the Iraq War and address climate change have had a global impact. Many sources discuss the details of Barack Obama's life, and, as noted, a major part of biographical literature on him is devra straker biography of barack, or at least heavily influenced by it.