Barack Obama — America's 44th President and a Nobel Laureate

Barack Obama is an American politician who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017 and was the first African American to hold the office.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1961, he worked as a community organizer, became a lawyer, and represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate before winning the presidency in 2008. In 2009 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

This timeline traces his life and career with major dates and facts cross-checked against authoritative sources. As a subject involving politics, it is presented in a neutral, factual manner, focusing on documented events rather than opinion.

Barack Obama's legacy includes his historic election as the first African American president of the United States and his two terms in office. As a Nobel laureate and widely known author and speaker, he remains a major figure in American life. This timeline presents his documented record neutrally, leaving broader assessments to readers and historians.

As president and a prominent public figure, Obama has had a significant influence on American politics and public discourse. His election was historic, and his speeches and writings reached wide audiences. This section notes his prominence factually, without evaluating specific policies.

Organizer vs. president: Obama rose from community organizing to the presidency. State vs. national office: He moved from the Illinois state senate to the U.S. Senate and then the White House. Before vs. after 2009: In 2009 he became president and a Nobel laureate. Obama vs. predecessors: He was the first African American to hold the presidency.

Obama's impact on American history is tied to his historic election and two-term presidency. This section records the factual scope of his roles and milestones; assessments of specific policies and outcomes are left to readers and historians in keeping with a neutral presentation.

1961 born in Honolulu, Hawaii → 1991 earns law degree from Harvard, first African American president of the Harvard Law Review → 1992 marries Michelle Robinson and works in Chicago → 1997–2004 serves in the Illinois state senate → 2004 elected to the U.S. Senate → November 4, 2008 elected the 44th President → January 20, 2009 inaugurated → 2009 awarded the Nobel Peace Prize → 2012 re-elected → serves until January 20, 2017.

As a major political leader, Obama has been the subject of extensive public debate, and observers hold a wide range of views on his presidency and policies. In keeping with a neutral presentation, this timeline does not adjudicate contested political questions; readers seeking to evaluate specific debates should consult a range of balanced, well-sourced references and official records.

Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 and numerous other honors over his career. Additional awards are summarized generally here where exact details could not be independently verified, in keeping with an accuracy-first, neutral approach.

Barack Obama is a prominent and widely discussed figure in American and global public life, with a large following as well as critics. His two election victories reflect significant support, while political opinion about him varies. This section notes his prominence factually.

As of 2026, Barack Obama remains a widely known figure in American public life, and his historic presidency continues to be a major reference point in discussions of U.S. history and politics. Historical assessments evolve over time, and this timeline reflects documented facts.

SHORT SUMMARY: Barack Obama (born 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, the first African American to hold the office, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.

MEDIUM SUMMARY: Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1961, Obama earned his law degree from Harvard in 1991, where he was the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review, then worked as a community organizer and lawyer in Chicago. He served in the Illinois state senate from 1997 to 2004 and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004. Elected the 44th President in 2008, he became the first African American president, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, was re-elected in 2012, and served until January 20, 2017. This summary presents documented facts neutrally.

LONG SUMMARY: Barack Hussein Obama II, born August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii, is an American politician who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017 and was the first African American to hold the office. A member of the Democratic Party, he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia and Hawaii, attended Occidental College and Columbia University, and earned his law degree from Harvard University in 1991, where he became the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review. He worked as a community organizer in Chicago, wrote the memoir Dreams from My Father, married Michelle Robinson in 1992, and had two daughters, Malia and Sasha. He served in the Illinois state senate from 1997 to 2004, was elected to the U.S. Senate from Illinois in 2004, and was elected the 44th President on November 4, 2008, defeating Senator John McCain. Inaugurated on January 20, 2009, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize that year for his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples—the third sitting U.S. president to receive the award—and was re-elected in 2012, serving until January 20, 2017. In keeping with an accuracy-first, neutral approach, this timeline focuses on documented events and roles rather than opinion.