Barack Obama's birthday
Arguably Barack Obama is one of the most famous people in history. This former U.S. president made massive political waves when he became the first black person elected to this position in the country’s history, winning in 2008 with an enormous mandate from voters. His politics and policies shaped a generation.
Early Life
Barack was born on August 4, 1961. His father was from Kenya, and his mother was from Kansas. The family lived in Hawaii and was a tight-knit group; young Barack would regularly spend time with his grandparents, who performed babysitting duties when his parents were busy.
Thanks to his family-orientated upbringing, Obama always had homespun values. This environment sparked the optimism that has always remained with him.
Barack was a bright child at school, obtaining scholarships and eventually going to college to study for a career in law. Upon leaving, he made his way to Chicago, where he helped various churches rebuild communities harmed by the closures of old steel plants. These formative years instilled a sense of duty and public purpose in Barack, encouraging him to consider a career in politics.
Alongside his philanthropy, Barack also continued to pursue academic excellence. After studying law, he became the first African-American to become the president of the Harvard Law Review before later returning to the University of Chicago to teach constitutional law. Barack met his future wife Michelle at his family’s law firm in 1989 and, according to all sources, it was love at first sight.
Leadership And Presidency
Barack Obama’s presidency ran from 2009 and 2017, making him the 44th president. His first electoral victory against senator and Republican opponent John McCain was emphatic. Barack won a landslide victory, picking up 365 electoral seats against McCain’s 175.
During his first term, Obama had to deal with his predecessor George Bush’s military policies in Afghanistan and Iraq. During Obama’s leadership, international terrorism peaked, and it was up to the new president to decide how to prevent the problem from spreading.
Furthermore, he had to deal with the then-ongoing international financial crisis. Obama entered the Oval Office months after Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and most of the rest of the U.S. financial system was melting down. He needed to convince Congress to implement policies to enable the country to survive.
In 2012, Barack ran against Republican and Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. Thanks to the challenges in his early presidency, Barack’s victory wasn’t quite as extreme as the one he had over John McCain, but it was still a landslide: 332 to Romney’s 206.
During the second part of his presidency, Barack sought to reduce the risk of escalating tensions in the Middle East and solve the Syria situation. He also helped to manage a more hostile Iraq.
People will remember Barack Obama’s presidency as a watershed moment in U.S. history. The first African-American leader of the country was famous for being a thoughtful and intellectual leader, celebrated by his admirers as a peacemaker and someone who understood the nuances of power.
