Barack Obama is the Next Guest in Hamilton’s Great Names Series

President Barack Obama

Few presidents have walked a more improbable path to the White House. Born in Hawaii to a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya, President Obama was raised with help from his grandparents, whose generosity of spirit reflected their Midwestern roots. The homespun values they instilled in him, paired with his innate sense of optimism, compelled President Obama to devote his life to giving every child, regardless of his or her background, the same chance America gave him.

After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, President Obama moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants. That experience honed his belief in the power of uniting ordinary people around a politics of purpose, in the hard work of citizenship, to bring about positive change. In law school, he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, then he returned to Illinois to teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago and begin a career in public service, winning seats in the Illinois State Senate and the United States Senate before seeking the office of president.

On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States, winning more votes than any candidate in history. He was inaugurated on January 20, 2009, reelected in 2012, and served until January 20, 2017. He was the first African American to hold the office, bringing a message of hope and change to his campaigns.

President Obama’s presidency began amidst the Great Recession, and his administration prioritized economic recovery efforts, including the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the rescue of the auto industry. He also oversaw the longest stretch of job creation in U.S. history.

A key legislative achievement was the Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law in 2010, which expanded healthcare coverage to 20 million Americans. President Obama also emphasized renewable energy, financial regulatory reform through the Dodd-Frank Act, and combating climate change, culminating in the United States signing the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015.

In foreign policy, President Obama’s administration ended the combat mission in Iraq, ordered the operation that killed Osama bin Laden, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program, and opened up a new chapter with the people of Cuba.

Despite facing increased political polarization with frequent legislative gridlock, President Obama’s tenure was marked by major social milestones, including the Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

President Obama has dedicated his post-presidency to lifting up the next generation of leaders, including supporting civic leaders in the United States and abroad through the Obama Foundation.

President Obama and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of two daughters – Malia and Sasha.