Barack Obama: Quick Facts

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Nov. 13, 2026

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Barack Obama served as the 44th president of the United States (2009–17) and was the first African American to hold that post. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama previously represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate from 2005 to 2008. He was honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.

Facts

Also Known As	Barack Hussein Obama II
Born	August 4, 1961 (age 65) • Honolulu • Hawaii
Title / Office	presidency of the United States of America (2009-2017), United States • United States Senate (2005-2008), United States
Political Affiliation	Democratic Party
Awards And Honors	Nobel Prize (2009) • Grammy Award (2007) • Grammy Award (2005) • Grammy Award (2008): Best Spoken Word Album • Grammy Award (2006): Best Spoken Word Album • Nobel Peace Prize (2009) • John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award (2017)
Notable Works	“A Promised Land” • “Dreams from My Father” • “The Audacity of Hope”
Notable Family Members	spouse Michelle Obama • mother Stanley Ann Dunham • son of Barack Obama, Sr. • son of S. Ann Dunham • married to Michelle Obama (1992–present) • father of Malia Obama (b. 1998) • father of Sasha Obama (b. 2001) • half brother of Maya Soetoro-Ng • half brother of Auma Obama • half brother of Mark Obama Ndesandjo • half brother of David Ndesandjo • half brother of Malik Obama • half brother of George Obama • half brother of Abo Obama • half brother of Samson Obama • half brother of Bernard Obama
Role In	Afghanistan War • DACA • Iraq War • Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action • Killing of Osama bin Laden • Strategic Arms Reduction Talks • United States presidential election of 2012 • United States presidential election of 2008 • Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act • Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Education	Columbia University (B.A., 1983) • Harvard Law School (J.D., 1991) • Occidental College • Punahou School
Founder Of	Higher Ground Productions
Published Works	"Dreams from My Father" (1995) • "Our Enduring Spirit: President Barack Obama's First Words to America" (2009) • "Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters" (2010) • "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" (2006)
Twitter Handle	@BarackObama
Instagram Username	barackobama

Top Questions

Why did Barack Obama win a Grammy Award?

Barack Obama won the Grammy Award for best spoken word album in both 2005 and 2007 for his narration of the audio versions of his books "Dreams from My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream," respectively.

Where did Barack Obama go to college?

Barack Obama attended Occidental College in suburban Los Angeles for two years before transferring to Columbia University in New York City, where in 1983 he received a bachelor's degree in political science. He later attended Harvard University's law school, graduating magna cum laude in 1991.

Why did Barack Obama win the Nobel Peace Prize?

In 2009 Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." In detailing its reasons for selecting Obama as the recipient of that year's award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee also emphasized Obama's support for nuclear disarmament. The award came after Obama had taken a number of steps that indicated a significant shift in tone from the administration of his predecessor, George W. Bush: Obama signed an executive order that banned excessive interrogation techniques; ordered the closing of the controversial military detention facility in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, within a year (a deadline that was not met); proposed a "fresh start" to strained relations with Russia; and traveled to Cairo in June 2009 to deliver a historic speech in which he reached out to the Muslim world.

Where did Barack Obama grow up?

Barack Obama spent his first few years in Hawaii before moving to Jakarta to live with his half sister, his mother, and his stepfather. After spending several years in Jakarta, Obama returned to Hawaii in 1971, and he remained there through his graduation in 1979 from Punahou School, an elite college preparatory academy in Honolulu.

How did Barack Obama meet Michelle Obama?

Barack Obama met Chicago native Michelle Robinson while he was working as a summer associate in 1989 at the Chicago law firm of Sidley Austin. At the time, Robinson was a young lawyer at the firm.

Where was Barack Obama a senator?

Barack Obama represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate (2005–08). He was the third African American to be elected to that body since the end of Reconstruction (1877).

When did Barack Obama announce that he was running for president?

Barack Obama announced on February 10, 2007, that he would seek the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 2008. He delivered the announcement at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln had served as a state legislator.

When did Barack Obama become president?

Barack Obama took the oath of office as president on January 20, 2009, and he was reelected to a second term on November 6, 2012.

What is Barack Obama's political party?

Barack Obama is a member of the Democratic Party.

When did Barack Obama become a senator?

Barack Obama was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1996; he resigned shortly after winning the presidential election in 2008.

What was Barack Obama's undergraduate major?

Barack Obama majored in political science at Columbia University in New York City, where in 1983 he received a bachelor's degree.

Who were Barack Obama's parents?

Barack Obama's father, Barack Obama, Sr., was a teenage goatherd in rural Kenya; he won a scholarship to study in the United States and eventually became a senior economist in the Kenyan government. Obama's mother, S. Ann Dunham, grew up in Kansas, Texas, and Washington state before her family settled in Honolulu. In 1960 she and Barack Sr. met in a Russian language class at the University of Hawaii, and the couple married less than a year later.

Did You Know?

In 2012, Barack Obama became the first U.S. president to officially sanction same-sex marriage.
When Obama traveled to Kenya in 2006, thousands of people waited to welcome him, lining the streets.
During his presidency some claimed that Barack Obama was not born in the United States, which, according to the U.S. Constitution, would make him unable to serve as president. He released his birth certificate to reaffirm that he had been born in Hawaii.
The Obamas signed a multiyear production deal with Netflix in 2018.