Education
Obama attended Punahou School, a well-known private school in Honolulu, where he played on the varsity basketball team. After high school, he studied at Occidental College in Los Angeles for two years before transferring to Columbia University in New York City, where he graduated in 1983. He then moved to Chicago to work as a community organizer, helping people in struggling neighborhoods find jobs and improve their communities. In 1988, he entered Harvard Law School, where he became the first African American president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review. He graduated from Harvard in 1991 with high honors.
Early Career and Family
After law school, Obama returned to Chicago, where he taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago and worked as a civil rights attorney. He married Michelle Robinson in 1992, and together they had two daughters, Malia (born in 1998) and Sasha (born in 2001). In 1996, Obama was elected to the Illinois State Senate, where he served for eight years working on issues like healthcare and education. He gained national attention in 2004 when he delivered a powerful keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. That same year, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, representing Illinois.
Becoming President
In 2008, Barack Obama ran for president against Republican candidate John McCain. On November 4, 2008, he won the election with about 53 percent of the popular vote, becoming the 44th President of the United States and the first African American to hold the office. His inauguration on January 20, 2009, drew nearly 1.8 million people to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. — one of the largest gatherings in the city’s history. His victory was a historic moment that inspired millions of people around the world. He was re-elected in 2012, defeating Mitt Romney, and served two full terms through January 2017.
Major Accomplishments
One of Obama’s biggest achievements was the Affordable Care Act, signed into law in March 2010, which expanded health insurance to millions of Americans who previously could not afford it. In 2009, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. In May 2011, Obama ordered the military mission that led to the death of Osama bin Laden, the leader of the terrorist group responsible for the September 11, 2001, attacks. He also worked to address climate change by signing the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015. During his presidency, he appointed two women to the Supreme Court: Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
Challenges He Faced
When Obama took office in January 2009, the country was in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Millions of people had lost their jobs, homes, and savings. He signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a $787 billion plan to help get the economy moving again. Over time, the unemployment rate dropped from 10 percent in 2009 to 4.7 percent by the end of his presidency. Obama also faced strong political opposition in Congress, which made it difficult to pass some of the laws he supported.
Life After the Presidency
After leaving office in 2017, Obama and his family stayed in Washington, D.C., so their younger daughter Sasha could finish high school. He and Michelle Obama founded the Obama Foundation, which works to inspire and develop the next generation of leaders. In 2020, the Obamas opened the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s South Side to serve as a museum, community gathering space, and library. Barack Obama also wrote a bestselling memoir called “A Promised Land,” which sold more than 3 million copies in its first month. He continues to speak publicly about issues like voting rights, climate change, and democracy.
Personal Life and Character
Obama is known for his calm, thoughtful speaking style and his ability to bring people together across different backgrounds. He is a big fan of basketball and often played pickup games at the White House with friends and staff. He and Michelle are devoted parents who tried to give Malia and Sasha as normal a childhood as possible despite living in the White House. Obama has spoken openly about the influence of his mother and grandparents on his values of hard work, honesty, and treating everyone with respect. He is also known for his love of reading and has shared his favorite book lists with the public each year.
Fun Facts
- Obama’s favorite food is chili, and he has a well-known love of pie.
- He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comic books.
- Obama is left-handed, joining a long list of left-handed presidents including Abraham Lincoln.
- He sang “Amazing Grace” during a eulogy in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015, surprising the audience.
- Bo and Sunny, two Portuguese Water Dogs, were the Obama family’s pets in the White House.
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