Barack Obama Biography
On January 20, 2009, Barack Hussein Obama not only became the 44th President of the United States of America but also the first African-American to hold the highest office in American history. Martin L. King Jr. had one dream of freedom that spread across our nation tremendously. It helped bring about such a change that made that day so heartfelt to so many Americans. But of course, you have to know where you came from to know where youʼre going. Media speaks so much about Obama in this period, yet never too much of where he came from or how he started.
Barack Hussein Obama was born to a black man, Barack Obama Sr., and a white woman named Ann Dunham on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. His mother was from Kansas and his father was originally from Kenya where he later returned after his separation with Obama’s mother. Even today, thousands of thousands are against interracial dating and marriages, sometimes even association, but itʼs nothing to the challenges that occurred during the ʽ60ʼs that may have wore heavy on Obamaʼs family. Obamaʼs early childhood wasnʼt a smooth one of any sort. Born a biracial child, he endured many tests and trials. Sadly, in 1967 Obama’s parents divorced. His mother remarried an Indonesian foreign student named Lolo Soetoro and had a second child named Maya. Obama lived in Jakarta with his mother, new stepfather, and half sister from age six to ten. Yet, when he turned ten he moved back to his birthplace to live with his maternal grandparents, Madelyn and Stanley Dunham.
Obama’s grandparents took the role as his parents, raising him to the best of their ability; although, Obama was living in a white household while being identified as a black man. Teenagers already have trouble trying to identify who they are and whatʼs their purpose in life. Can you imagine the confusion of being pulled between one race from another, when youʼre both?? Iʼm sure Obama did. Barack went through times when he felt like he had to prove himself. He admits to trying drugs such as cocaine and marijuana during his teen years. None the less, living with his Caucasian grandparents made it possible for him to experience wonderful opportunities that he may have not otherwise. Living with his grandparents in Honolulu, Hawaii, led Obama to attend an elite Punahou Academy on a scholarship, where he was one of the only three African-American students, until 1979 when he graduated. During this period in his life, Obama saw his father for the last time in 1971. Unfortunately, Obama’s father died later on in a car accident in 1982. Barack Obama later lost his mother to ovarian cancer in 1999.
Even when the night seems so dark, you know the sun will soon rise.. Thatʼs exactly what happened to President Obama. In 1983, soon after his fatherʼs death, Barack Obama received a Bachelors of Arts at Colombia University in New York City, where he also majored in Political Science. After graduation, Obama went on to work at Business International Corporation and New York Interest Research Group. Obama later worked for a social-services organization in Chicago right before being accepted in one of the top three law schools in the United States, Harvard University.
This is where Obamaʼs determination, strength, and will really started to shine. In 1990, Obama was elected as president of the Harvard Law Review journal. He was the first African-American to hold that type of position at Harvard. As you have read, Obama loves making history. He worked hard and strong during his years at Harvard and in 1991, Obama graduated as magna cum laude at the top of his class. His accomplishments gave him the opportunity to work at any law firm of his choice. He declined the top Manhattan law firmsʼ offers to go back to Chicago and work for the civil-rights law firms such as Miner, Barnhill, & Galland. He went on to teach at the University of Chicago Law School, while also helped organize voter registration drives during Bill Clintonʼs 1992 presidential campaign. His work led him to run for Illinois State Senate with the Democratic Party, where we won in 1996, which became the start of Former Senator Obamaʼs journey to become the 44th President of the United States and the first African-American president in 2009.
