Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. His mother, Ann Dunham, was from Kansas, and his father, Barack Obama Sr., was from Kenya and studied at the University of Hawaii.
From 1967 to 1971 young Barack lived in Jakarta, Indonesia, with his mother and stepfather. He then returned to Honolulu to live with his grandparents and attend Punahou School, graduating in 1979.
Did You Know
Obama is the first president born in Hawaii, which became a state just two years before his birth.
Shaping Experiences
He later wrote about growing up between cultures in his 1995 memoir, Dreams from My Father, describing how his search for identity shaped his views.
Learn More
For primary sources, explore the Obama White House archives maintained by the National Archives, the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, and presidential history collections at your local library. Reading accounts from supporters and critics alike gives the fullest picture of any presidency.
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