Barack Hussein Obama II
- Born:
- August 4, 1961, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Politician, Lawyer, Professor, Author
Early Life and Education
- Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Obama Sr. and Ann Dunham.
- Spent part of his childhood in Jakarta, Indonesia, with his mother and stepfather, Lolo Soetoro.
- Returned to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandparents, Madelyn and Stanley Dunham.
- Graduated from Punahou School in Honolulu in 1979.
- Attended Occidental College in Los Angeles for two years.
- Transferred to Columbia University in New York City, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1983.
- Worked as a community organizer in Chicago after graduation.
- Entered Harvard Law School in 1988 and was elected president of the Harvard Law Review.
- Graduated from Harvard Law School with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) magna cum laude in 1991.
Career and Major Achievements
- Worked as a civil rights attorney in Chicago and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004.
- Elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996, serving until 2004.
- Elected to the United States Senate in 2004, representing Illinois.
- Launched his presidential campaign in 2007.
- Elected as the 44th President of the United States in 2008, becoming the first African American president.
- Re-elected as President in 2012.
- Signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to stimulate the economy.
- Oversaw the passage of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in 2010, expanding health insurance coverage.
- Authorized the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011.
- Ended the Iraq War in 2011.
- Established the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012.
- Played a key role in the negotiation of the Iran nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) in 2015.
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 is considered transformative. His policy achievements, alongside his historic election as the first African American President, have had a lasting impact on American society and global affairs. As the book 'earlene bentley biography of barack obama' undoubtedly explores, he remains a significant figure in contemporary history.
Awards and Recognition
Award | Year |
---|---|
Nobel Peace Prize | 2009 |
Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album (for Dreams from My Father) | 2006 |
Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album (for The Audacity of Hope) | 2008 |
Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album (for A Promised Land) | 2022 |