Barack Hussein Obama II, Democratic presidential nominee in the the 2008 United States presidential election, is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School.

Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father Barack Obama I was a black Kenyan of Nyang’oma Kogelo, Siaya District, Kenya, and Barack’s mother was Ann Dunham, a white American from Wichita, Kansas. Barack’s family had humble roots but both his parents did well in life. Barack Obama I herded goats with his father, but later became a government Economist n Kenya, after putting himself through college on a scholarship.

Photo: Barack Obama II with his father, Barack Obama I

Ann Durham’s father, Stanley Durham, worked on oil rigs, and later signed up for WW II, and her mother, Madelyn Durham, worked on a bomber assembly line. Madelyn then became a bank president in Hawaii. Anne Durham worked as an anthropologist in Hawaii and Indonesia.

In his book Dream of my Father – A Story of Race and Inheritance, he says that his mother had Native American ancestors and her family was distant relatives of Jefferson Davis.

Photo: Barack Obama with his mother Ann Durham

When Barack was two years old, his parents divorced. His mother married Lolo Soetoro from Indonesia.

Photo of Barack Obama with Lolo Soetoro and Ann Durham

In 1967, Barack Obama moved to Jakarta and was enrolled in local schools. Ann Soetoro, concerned about the education he got in local school, personally made sure he had a good education at home. In Dreams of my Father, Barack has said that “Five days a week, she came into my room at four in the morning, force-fed me breakfast, and proceeded to teach me my English lessons for three hours before I left for school.”

In 1971, Barack’s mother sent him to live with his maternal grandparents so that he would have a better quality education. Barack was enrolled Punahou School in Hawaii.

Here is a picture of a three-year-old Barack Obama with his maternal grandfather.

Picture of Barack Obama with his maternal grandfather Stanley Durham

In school, Barack Obama was part of the high school Basketball varsity team. He still enjoys playing Basketball.

Photo of Barack Obama in the basketball team in Punahou school, Hawaii

Barack graduated from the school in 1979.

Barack Obama with maternal grandparents, Madelyn and Stanley Durham at his graduation

Barack then joined Occidental College in Los Angeles and then moved to Columbia University where he studied political science with specialisation in international relations, for two years.

Barack Obama at Columbia University

Barack Obama met his wife, Michelle Robinson, in June 1989. Michelle was a lawyer and both worked together at Sidley Austin, a Chicago law firm.

Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson wedding photo

In 1983, Barack Obama joined the Business International Corporation and then the New York Public Interest Research Group.

In 1985, Barack moved to Chicago where he worked as a community organizer with a church-based group dealing with employement and education issues in poor neighborhoods.

Obama joined Harvard Law School in 1989, and became the first African – American president of the Harvard Law Review. Thereafter, in 2004, Barack Obama II became the third African American
to be elected to the US Senate.

Photo: Barack Obama at Harvard Law School

Obama has always held an anti-war position. In 2003, Obama addressed an anti-war rally telling the crowd that it is never too late to stop the war, when Bush issued his 48-hour ultimatum to Saddam

Hussein to leave Iraq before the US invasion of Iraq.

In December 2005, Obama called for action against genocide in Sudan.

Obama has expressed his opposition to nuclear weapons and investment in unproven missile development systems

Barack Obama is also a published author. He has written two books so far – Dreams From my Father – A Story of Race and Inheritance, published in 1995, that details Obama’s life from his birth to the

early 1990s, his student life at Harvard, and about his personal experiences with race, identity, and community issues. He has also written The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the

American Dream, released in 2008, and Barack Obama: In his own Words, that contains his speeches, quotes, and anecdotes.

Barack Obama lives with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, in Kenwood.