Barack Obama is a former American politician, serving as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Prior to his eight years in the White House, Obama was a United States Senator from Illinois (2005 to 2008), and in the Illinois State Senate (1997 to 2004). Obama was also the country’s first President from an African-American background.
Born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii, his middle name is Hussein. He is also named Barack Hussein Obama II, after his father. His zodiac sign is Leo.
Barack is a Christian in the Protestant denomination. He was not raised Christian but instead converted to Christianity later in his life.
As Obama explains, “I’m a Christian by choice. My family didn’t – frankly, they weren’t folks who went to church every week. And my mother was one of the most spiritual people I knew, but she didn’t raise me in the church. So I came to my Christian faith later in life, and it was because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead – being my brothers’ and sisters’ keeper, treating others as they would treat me.” (1)
Obama’s father was an atheist, and his future stepfather didn’t think much about religion. (2)
Obama was the former leader of the Democratic Party and continues to be a key advisor to many in the Democratic camp.
During his tenure as President, Obama introduced the Affordable Care Act (also known by its nickname “Obamacare”). Obama and his administration wanted to bring universal health care to all Americans. Republicans that were critical of the act said that Obamacare would negatively impact business, that it would cost too much for business owners, or that it was even unconstitutional for government to impose universal health care on all American citizens. (3)
In the aftermath of the 2013 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Obama wanted to implement stricter gun control legislation. “If there is even one thing we can do to reduce this violence, if there is even one life that can be saved, then we’ve got an obligation to try,” he said. (4)
He is a strong supporter of equal rights for gays. In his January 2013 inauguration address, Obama said, “Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.” This was the first instance of a President saying the word “gay” in their inauguration. (5)
Obama’s father’s parents were born in Kenya while his American-born mother comes from German, English, Swiss and Scottish ancestry. This makes the former Prersident’s extended family quite diverse, from dark-skinned to white.
In 1993 Barack married Michelle Robinson, a lawyer. She took her new husband’s surname and became future first lady Michelle Obama.
The Obamas are parents to two daughters: Malia (born 1998) and Natasha “Sasha” (born 2001).
He also has a half-sister named Maya, from his mother’s second marriage.
His favorite Major League Baseball team is the Chicago White Sox.
Obama plays basketball recreationally. He was photographed shooting hoops on the White House basketball court numerous times in his eight years as President.
In 2010 he gave up smoking.
Sources:
2: “The Audacity of Hope”, written by Barack Obama
3: BBC
4: BBC
5: Politico