✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › Barack Obama

Barack Obama biographyFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

Barack Obama Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birthAugust 4, 1961

Age60 Years

BirthplaceHonolulu, Hawaii, U.S.

ProfessionPolitician

NationalityAmerican

Marital statusMarried

SpouseMichelle Obama

FamilyTwo daughters: Malia Ann Obama (born 1998) and Natasha (Sasha) Obama (born 2001)

Net worth$40 Million

Barack Obama Biography

Barack Hussein Obama, born August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii, is an American politician, attorney and author who served as the 44th President of the Unit

Early life and background

Barack Hussein Obama was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He spent parts of his childhood in Hawaii and Jakarta, Indonesia, attending schools that included St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School and other Jakarta-area schools before returning to Punahou School in Honolulu for his secondary education. He went on to study at the University of Hawaii, Occidental College, Columbia College at Columbia University, and earned a law degree from Harvard Law School. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1983, majoring in political science with an emphasis on international relations and also studying English literature.

Obama's family background bridges multiple heritages. His mother was predominantly of English descent with additional German, Irish, Scottish, Swiss and Welsh ancestry. His father was Luo and came from Nyang'oma Kogelo in Kenya. His parents met while studying at the University of Hawai'i. He has several half-siblings and stepsiblings, including Auma Obama and Maya Soetoro-Ng among others.

Career

Obama began a career that combined law, teaching and politics. He taught at the University of Chicago Law School between 1996 and 2004 while also building a political career in Illinois. He was first elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996 and won re-election in 1998 and again in 2002. In January 2003 he became chairman of the Illinois Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee.

He sought federal office in 2000 but was defeated in the Democratic primary for the U.S. House of Representatives. In March 2004 he won a primary election decisively and later that year was elected to the U.S. Senate, serving as a senator from Illinois from 2005 to 2008. Obama announced his candidacy for president on February 10, 2007, and won the 2008 presidential election on November 4, becoming the first African American to hold the office. He was re-elected in 2012.

During his public career he authored books that won recognition in the spoken-word category; he received Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album twice. He and his wife later launched a production company, Higher Ground Productions, and in 2018 they signed a deal with Netflix to produce documentaries, docuseries and feature films.

Public profile

Throughout his career Obama has been associated with the Democratic Party and has been described by nicknames such as Barry and, more colloquially in media, No Drama Obama. He has been a visible public figure on issues ranging from domestic policy to international affairs. Publicly noted interests include basketball, reading comic books such as Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian, cooking dishes like chili and stir-fry, and playing word and table games. He has cited public figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi as political influences and is known for the campaign slogan "Yes We Can." His religious affiliation is listed as Protestant Christian.

Obama has been the subject of both praise and controversy during and after his time in office. Topics that drew criticism or public debate include aspects of U.S. foreign policy, surveillance programs, immigration and health-care reform. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.

Personal life

Barack Obama married Michelle Obama in 1992. They have two daughters, Malia Ann Obama, born July 4, 1998, and Natasha (known as Sasha) Obama, born June 10, 2001. He has reported quitting cigarette smoking in 2010 and has acknowledged occasional alcohol use.

Latest updates

In 2018 Barack and Michelle Obama expanded their media and storytelling efforts through the Netflix agreement under Higher Ground Productions. In 2019 he publicly shared yearly lists of favorite films and television and included a selection that featured American Factory, a Netflix documentary produced by Higher Ground. In July 2021 the NBA announced that Obama had acquired a minority equity stake in NBA Africa through his foundation.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Barack Obama, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
◈

Recent Work

Higher Ground Productions deal with Netflix

Signed a multi-title production agreement with Netflix to produce documentaries, docu-series and feature films through Higher Ground Productions.

2018
Public list of favorite films and TV (curation)

Shared a year-end list of favorite films and television in 2019, highlighting works including the Higher Ground-produced documentary American Factory.

2019
Minority stake in NBA Africa

Acquired a minority equity stake in NBA Africa through his foundation.

2021
✦

Career Highlights

  1. Elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996; re-elected in 1998 and 2002
  2. Chairman of the Illinois Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee (2003)
  3. U.S. Senator from Illinois (2005–2008)
  4. 44th President of the United States (first term won in 2008; re-elected in 2012)
  5. Two-time Grammy Award winner for Best Spoken Word Album
  6. Founded Higher Ground Productions and signed a production deal with Netflix
₹

Net Worth

$40 Million

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Barack Obama born?

August 4, 1961

What is Barack Obama known for?

Politician

What is Barack Obama’s marital status?

Married

Who is Barack Obama married to?

Michelle Obama

What is Barack Obama’s net worth?

$40 Million