Obama, Barack, 1961-

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Barack H. Obama is the 44th President of the United States.

Few presidents have walked a more improbable path to the White House. Born in Hawaii to a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya, Obama was raised with help from his grandparents, whose generosity of spirit reflected their Midwestern roots. The homespun values they instilled in him, paired with his innate sense of optimism, compelled Obama to devote his life to giving every child, regardless of his or her background, the same chance America gave him.

After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, Obama moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants. That experience honed his belief in the power of uniting ordinary people around a politics of purpose, in the hard work of citizenship, to bring about positive change. In law school, he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, then he returned to Illinois to teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago and begin a career in public service, winning seats in the Illinois State Senate and the United States Senate.

On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States, winning more votes than any candidate in history. He took office at a moment of crisis unlike any America had seen in decades – a nation at war, a planet in peril, the American Dream itself threatened by the worst economic calamity since the Great Depression. And yet, despite all manner of political obstruction, Obama’s leadership helped rescue the economy, revitalize the American auto industry, reform the health care system to cover another twenty million Americans, and put the country on a firm course to a clean energy future – all while overseeing the longest stretch of job creation in American history. On the world stage, Obama’s belief in America’s indispensable leadership and strong, principled diplomacy helped wind down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, decimate al Qaeda and eliminate the world’s most wanted terrorists, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program, open up a new chapter with the people of Cuba, and unite humanity in coordinated action to combat a changing climate.

In times of great challenge and change, President Obama’s leadership ushered in a stronger economy, a more equal society, a nation more secure at home and more respected around the world. The Obama years were ones in which more people not only began to see themselves in the changing face of America, but to see America the way he always has – as the only place on Earth where so many of our stories could even be possible.

Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf State Senator Barack Obama - Collection Finding Aid William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
referencedIn United States Congress, Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, invitation and program to the inauguration of Barack Obama, 2009 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Collection of Canadian newspapers related to Barack Obama's election and first visit to Canada. Canadian Museum of History Library, Bibliotheque du Musee canadien de l'histoire
referencedIn Clinton, Hillary - Barack Obama, democratic presidential debate collection, 2008 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Matthew Naythons Photographic Archive, ca. 1972-2009 AR 2003-088; 2003-089; 2005-061; 2010-080; 2010-327. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Gastineau, Janine E., 1959-,. Oral history interview with Janine E. Gastineau, [electronic resource] / interviewed by Diane Rabson, 2009. Boulder Public Library
referencedIn Sullivan, Mary George Billingsley, 1908-. Oral history interview with Mary George Billingsley Sullivan, 2009 November 26. University of North Texas Library, UNT
referencedIn Naythons, Matthew. Naythons, Matthew, photographic archive ca. 1972-2009. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Inaugural materials for the 2009 Presidential inauguration, 2008-2009. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn National Rifle Association of America. Barack Obama campaign memorabilia, 2008. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Barack Obama memorabilia from trip to Ghana, 2009. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Kenneth Hubbard Collection of Political Campaign Ephemera, 1880-2012 and undated David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Barton, Carol June. A pop-up inauguration celebration / [created by Carol Barton]. Lafayette College
referencedIn United States Political Campaign Materials Collection, and undated, 1840-2009 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn U.S. Presidential Election (2008) and Inauguration Collection, 2008-2009 UNF Library Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Barack Obama presidential election memorabilia from Kenya , 2008. University of California, Los Angeles
referencedIn Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project Collection, 2008-2009 Archive of Folk Culture (U.S.)
referencedIn United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry. Campaign ephemera, 2008. The Filson Historical Society
editorOf Grimes, Nikki. Nikki Grimes Papers 1992-2008. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Obama, Barack. Barack Obama campaign literature, 2008. The Filson Historical Society
referencedIn The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
creatorOf Julia Child Award Winners Collection National Museum of American History (U.S.). Archives Center
referencedIn Bob Englehart Collection, 1987, 1991, 1995-1996, 2005-2009. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Center.
creatorOf United States Postal Service. Barack Obama Election and Inauguration Collection, 2008-2009 Detroit Public Library, Detroit Main Library
referencedIn Campaign photograph of Barack Obama and Joe Biden [graphic], 2008. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Nikki Grimes Papers, 1992-2010 University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections
referencedIn United States. President (2009- : Obama). Presidential Memorabilia Collection, 1984, 2009. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Ruei, Keiser H. Lost decade [electronic resource] : a witness of history and a hard lesson we need to take / Keiser H. Ruei. California State University, San Bernardino, John M. Pfau Library
referencedIn Scates, Stephen J., 1937-. An interview with Stephen Scates / Stephen Scates ; Michael Maniscalco, interviewer. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Conyers, John, 1929-. Julian Bond papers [manuscript], 1968-2009. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Southern Oral History Program. The Long Civil Rights Movement: The South Since the 1960s: Economic justice in Charleston, S.C., 2008 (Series U.15). University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Newark Public Library. Barack Obama Election and Inauguration Collection 2008-2009 Newark Public Library, Main Library
referencedIn Carr, George R. (George Russell), b. 1877. [Presidential autographs collected by the University of Illinois Library]. University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
referencedIn Obama Inaugural Photograph Collection, 2009-197., 2009 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Electoral College Records., 1988-2012. Minnesota Historical Society
referencedIn Republican Party (Va.). Collection of printed material about the political campaigns and elections of 2008. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Barack Obama memorabilia from Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Uganda, and South Africa, 2008-2009. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
contributorOf Finding aid for the Presidential Debate Collection, MUM01697 University of Mississippi
referencedIn Records of the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers, 1967-2005 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Minnesota. Secretary of State. Electoral college records, 2004-2008. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States : a collection of newspapers and magazines. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn U.S. Presidential Election (2008) and Inauguration Collection University of North Florida, Carpenter Library, Thomas G. Carpenter Library
referencedIn Democratic National Convention collection University of Maryland, Baltimore county
creatorOf OBAMA, BARACK. Barack Obama letters to Alexandra McNear, 1982-1984 Emory University Library, Special Collect Department
referencedIn Barack Obama presidential campaign and inauguration collection, 2008-2011. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Presidential Political Campaign Ephemera, 2012 MSS. 3703., 2012 W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library, The University of Alabama
referencedIn [Inauguration materials from the inauguration of Barack H. Obama, January 20, 2009.]. US Senate Library
referencedIn Althea Bardeen Collection of Scrapbooks of Political Cartoons of President Barack Obama Ohio State University. Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.
referencedIn United States. Congress. Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Invitation and program to the inauguration of Barack Obama, 2009. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Barack Obama Presidential Election Memorabilia from Kenya, 2008 University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
referencedIn Barack Obama presidential campaign and inauguration collection, 2008-2011. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn [Barack Obama 2008 presidential race : collection of campaign literature.] Michigan State University Libraries, Main Library
referencedIn Black, Timuel D. A celebration of the life of Studs Terkel, [videorecording], 2009 Jan. 30. Media Burn Independent Video Archive
referencedIn Presidential Memorabilia Collection 2008-304, 2009-015, 2009-041, 2009-066, 2009-079., 2009 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf The HistoryMakers Video Oral History with The Honorable Barack Obama The HistoryMakers

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Relation Name
associatedWith Biden, Joseph R. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Columbia University corporateBody
memberOf Democratic Party (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Grimes, Nikki person
leaderOf Harvard Law Review, corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Harvard Law School corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers corporateBody
associatedWith Hubbard, Kenneth person
memberOf Illinois. General Assembly. Senate corporateBody
associatedWith Kennerly, David Hume person
politicalOpponentOf McCain, John, 1936-2018 person
associatedWith McNeely, Robert person
associatedWith Minnesota. Secretary of State. corporateBody
associatedWith Naythons, Matthew person
associatedWith Naythons, Matthew person
childOf Obama, Barack H. (Barack Hussein), 1936-1982 person
parentOf Obama, Malia, 1998- person
spouseOf Obama, Michelle, 1964-.... person
parentOf Obama, Sasha, 2001- person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Occidental College corporateBody
associatedWith Schorr, William M. collector. person
employeeOf Sidley & Austin corporateBody
associatedWith Tribe, Laurence H. person
associatedWith United States. Congress. Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies corporateBody
memberOf United States. Congress. Senate corporateBody
associatedWith United States. President (2009- : Obama) corporateBody
employeeOf University of Chicago. Law school corporateBody
associatedWith Wright, Dick collector. person
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Jakarta 04 ID
New York City NY US
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Birth 1961-08-04

Birth 19610804

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Americans

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