Barack Obama was born in 1961 in Honolulu to a black Kenyan father and white American mother. He graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, then worked as a community organizer and civil rights lawyer before entering politics. Obama was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996 and the U.S. Senate in 2004, promoting ethics and healthcare reform. He announced his presidential campaign in 2007 on a platform of ending the Iraq War, energy independence, and universal healthcare.
![Early life ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)