Table of contents
President Obama, it’s your birthday, August 4, so come on down! Barack Hussein Obama II became the first African-American President of the United States in November, 2008. Still respectfully referred to as “Mr. President”, Obama was born to an American mother and Kenyan father. When his father left the family, Mr. Obama was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents.
Today, President Obama, a Harvard Law School graduate; is a highly-sought after speaker, role model and leader within the Democratic Party. On his birthday, we admire President Obama for his undying commitment to the American ideals of justice and humanity for all.
When is Barack Obama’s Birthday 2021?
Barack Obama’s birthday is on August 4. The 44th president of the United States of America is revered and celebrated by many Americans across the nation.
History of Barack Obama’s Birthday
Barack Obama was the first African American president elected as the 44th president of the United States of America. His campaign’s slogan was “Yes we can” and “Change we can believe in,” securing him a second term over governor Mitt Romney. Obama’s presidency is marked with notable policy changes and milestones like the Iran Nuclear Deal, the Affordable Care Act or “Obamacare,” and the legalization of gay marriage by the Supreme Court.
Barack Hussein Obama Jr. was born to Barack Hussein Obama and Ann Dunham on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father belonged to the Luo ethnicity and grew up in a small village in Kenya. At the age of 10, Obama attended an elite private school, Punahou School, where he first started to realize and understand the tensions and different perceptions regarding his mixed racial background. He graduated in 1983 from Columbia University in New York City with a degree in political science. In 1991, he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. During his time there, Obama became the first Black editor of the institution’s prestigious publication, “Harvard Law Review.”
While working at the Chicago law firm Sidley Austin LLP, Obama became acquainted with fellow Harvard Law School graduate Michelle LaVaughn Robinson. He went on to marry her on October 3, 1992, at the Trinity United Church of Christ. After working in the corporate sector for two years, Obama moved to Chicago where he started working as a community organizer for The Developing Communities Project, a church-based organization. He continued working with low-income residents and on public housing projects in the city’s majority-Black South Side.
In 1996, Obama’s political career officially took off when he won the Illinois State Senate election as a Democrat from the South Side neighborhood of Hyde Park. He was also re-elected in the years 1998 and 2002. On February 10, 2007, Obama announced his candidacy for president of the United States.
After a strenuous campaign against Hillary Clinton to claim the early Democratic nomination in June 2008, Barack Obama was sworn in as the first Black president of the United States on January 20, 2009. His inauguration was attended by 1.8 million people, setting a record. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. swore Obama in with the same Bible that was used at President Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration. In 2012, Barack Obama was re-elected for a second term, beating Paul Ryan and Republican Mitt Romney.
Barack Obama’s Birthday timeline
Obama returns to the state of his birth, Hawaii, after spending four years with his mother in Indonesia.
Obama meets his future wife, Michelle Obama, while working as a summer associate at the Chicago law firm, Sidley Austin LLP.
Obama is first sworn into the Illinois State Senate, where he serves for seven years.
Obama is sworn in as a U.S. Senator for the state of Illinois.
Obama gives a victory speech before tens of thousands of supporters in Chicago's Grant Park after winning the 2008 presidential election
The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States takes place at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to Barack Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people."
BARACK OBAMA'S BIRTHDAY BY THE NUMBERS
4 – the date in August when it’s Barack Obama’s birthday.
2008 – the year when Barack Obama was declared as “TIME Magazine’s” ‘Person of the Year.”
44th – President of the United States of America.
$5.5 million – the sales from Barack Obama’s books in 2009.
2006 – the year Barack Obama won a Grammy award for his voice on the audiobook “Dreams From My Father.”
1st – Barack Obama’s first job was selling ice-cream for Baskin Robbins.
$21 – the price of the haircut Barack Obama gets regularly done from Hyde Park Hair Salon.
0 – the number of siblings of Barack Obama.
2 – the number of daughters of Barack Obama.
1.7 million – the number of retweets Barack Obama’s most famous tweet from 2017 received.
Barack Obama’s Birthday FAQs
What business does Barack Obama own?
Barack Obama and Michelle Obama founded the United States production company Higher Ground Productions in 2018.
Where is Obama's presidential library?
The Barack Obama Presidential Center will be located in Jackson Park on the South Side of Chicago, near the University of Chicago campus.
What is the name of the Obama documentary?
“2016: Obama’s America” is an American political documentary produced by Dinesh D’Souza. The film was released in 2012.
How to Celebrate Barack Obama’s Birthday
Do some community service
President Obama was a community organizer and a promoter of community service. Celebrate his birthday by spending the day volunteering for a local charity or nonprofit. They'll appreciate the help and you'll feel so good!
Check out his speeches
President Obama could always rock a speech! At the 2004 Democratic National Convention, his transformative speech set the stage for his Presidential run in 2008. Additionally, Mr. Obama's State of the Union speeches are always worth revisiting.
Read his book
The former President's memoir, "Dreams from My Father", was an international bestseller. It recounts his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia and the autobiography details Mr. Obama's success in overcoming adversity on the way to Harvard Law School. The book also talks about how the President went from being a community organizer to getting into politics. On Barack Obama's birthday, pick up a paperback copy for about 10 bucks.
The Reading President - Obama's Favorite Books
Grant, by Ron Chernow
The former President loves U.S. history and cited this biography of Grant as a favorite.
Evicted, by Matthew Desmond
This 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner tells of the housing struggles faced by low-income families in Milwaukee.
A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
This work of fiction tells the story of the Bolshevik Revolution through the eyes of a Count under house arrest.
Dying, by Corey Taylor
A woman dying of terminal cancer reflects on her life, all written in a matter of weeks.
Basketball (and Other Things), by Shea Serrano
The President is a baller and this book is for basketball aficionados the world over.
Why we love Barack Obama's birthday
His election was historic
President Obama made history when he became the first African-American President of the United States. Each of his 43 predecessors was a white male. His election was a signal to a generation of African-American kids that they, too, could one day be President.
He turned the economy around
President Obama was elected at the tail end of a recession. Taking a firm hand, he supported policies that helped turn the economy around. Unemployment rates were reduced during his Presidency. Working with leadership in both parties, the country returned to economic stability.
He boldly tackled health care
Although controversial, the President's Affordable Care Act helped provide health insurance to millions of formerly uninsured Americans. It also protected people suffering from pre-existing conditions.
Barack Obama’s Birthday dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | August 4 | Wednesday |
| 2022 | August 4 | Thursday |
| 2023 | August 4 | Friday |
| 2024 | August 4 | Sunday |
| 2025 | August 4 | Monday |