Barack Obama: Life and Legacy of the 44th President
Early Life and Education
Barack Hussein Obama II, born August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii, is the 44th president of the United States. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was a Kenyan economist, and his mother, Ann Dunham, was a white American anthropologist.
After graduating from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Obama worked as a community organizer in Chicago. He later served in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004, and the U.S. Senate from 2005 to 2008.
Presidency
In 2008, Obama was elected president, becoming the first African American to hold the office. He was re-elected in 2012.
Major Accomplishments
* Enacted the Affordable Care Act, providing health insurance to millions of Americans * Ended the Iraq War and authorized the raid that killed Osama bin Laden * Rescued the U.S. auto industry from collapse * Signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act * Negotiated the Iran nuclear deal * Appointed Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme CourtControversies
* Use of drones in warfare * Immigration policy * National Security Agency surveillance programPost-Presidency
After leaving office, Obama has remained active in public life, giving speeches, writing books, and working on social justice issues.
