| President Barack Obama Chronology |
| Aug 4, 1961 |
Barack Obama, Jr. was born in Honolulu, HI, to Ann Dunham (Obama) and Barack Obama, Sr. |
| 1967 |
At age 6, moves with his mother and her second husband to Indonesia where he attends a Catholic school and later a public school. His mother taught him at home to make sure he kept up with his academics. |
| 1969 |
Sister, Maya Soetoro is born to his mother and her second husband, Lolo Soetoro. |
| 1971 |
At age 10, mother sends him back to Hawaii to live with his grandparents and to attend Punahou, a prestigious prep school, in Honolulu, Hi |
| 1975 |
Now in high school, he joins the basketball team and is considered a leader in his class. |
| 1979 |
Graduates from Punahou School. He enters Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA |
| 1981 |
After completing his sophomore year at Occidental, he transfers to Colombia University. |
| 1982 |
Receives the news that his father had been killed in a car accident in Kenya. |
| 1988 |
Applies to and was admitted to Harvard University Law School. |
| 1990 |
Was elected the first Black President of the Harvard Law Review. |
| 1991 |
Graduates Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Law School. |
| Oct 18, 1992 |
Marries Princeton and Harvard Law graduate Michelle Robinson of Chicago, IL. |
| 1995 |
Mother dies of cancer. |
| Jul 18, 1995 |
First book and memoirs, Dreams from My Father, is published. The book receives positive reviews. |
| 1996 |
Is elected to the Illinois State Senate |
| 1998 |
Re-elected to the Illinois State Senate |
| 1999 |
Daughter Malia born |
| Mar 21, 2000 |
Challenges Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush; loses to him in primary |
| 2001 |
Daughter Natasha (Sasha) born |
| Oct 2, 2002 |
Gave speech against Iraq war in downtown Chicago |
| 2002 |
Re-elected to the Illinois State Senate (uncontested) |
| Mar 16, 2004 |
Won Democrat primary for Illinois US Senate race. |
| Jul 27, 2004 |
Keynote address at the Democratic National Convention |
| Nov 2, 2004 |
Elected to the U.S. Senate def. Alan Keyes |
| Jan 4, 2005 |
Sworn in to the US Senate as the third African American senator since Reconstruction, and the fifth in history. Serves on the Foreign Relations and Veteran's Affairs Committees. |
| Aug 2006 |
Travels to Kenya; also visits South Africa, Chad, Djibouti |
| Oct 17, 2006 |
The Audacity of Hope published |
| Dec 10, 2006 |
Made first trip to New Hampshire as part of his pre-exploratory 2008 presidential campaign |
| Jan 16, 2007 |
Announces his Presidential exploratory committee |
| Feb 10, 2007 |
Formally announced start of Presidential campaign in Springfield, IL |
| Mar 4, 2007 |
Participates in March on Selma with Sen. Clinton commemorating the historic 1965 civil rights march in Selma, AL |
| Sep 8, 2007 |
Oprah hosts $3million fundraiser |
| Sep 12, 2007 |
Presents extensive plan to get out of Iraq |
| Dec 8, 2007 |
Oprah joins him on the campaign trail in Iowa and South Carolina |
| Jan 3, 2008 |
Wins Iowa caucus |
| Jan 26, 2008 |
Wins South Carolina Primary |
| Jan 28, 2008 |
Is endorsed by Senator Ted Kennedy who quotes his younger brother John F Kennedy saying: "The world is changing. The old ways will not do.. It is time for a new generation of leadership." |
| Feb 5, 2008 |
Wins 13 states on Super Tuesday |
| Feb 10, 2008 |
Wins his 2nd Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album (Audacity of Hope) |
| Mar 18, 2008 |
Delivers speech to the nation on race |
| Apr 29, 2008 |
Barack Obama renounces Rev. Wright for comments he finds offensive |
| May 6, 2008 |
Wins decisive victory in North Carolina Primary |
| May 20, 2008 |
Obtains majority of pledge delegates |
| May 31, 2008 |
Leaves Trinity United Church |
| Jun 3, 2008 |
Becomes the first Black to ever win the Democrat Presidential primary nomination |
| Jul 24, 2008 |
Speaks in Berlin to over 200,000; also travels to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel |
| Aug 23, 2008 |
Selects Joseph Biden as running mate |
| Aug 27, 2008 |
Formally nominated at DNC; the first Black ever |
| Aug 28, 2008 |
Accepts nomination, spoke at DNC convention to over 80,000 in Denver |
| Sep 26, 2008 |
Presidential Debate 1 Oxford, MS |
| Oct 7, 2008 |
Presidential Debate 2 Nashville, TN |
| Oct 15, 2008 |
Presidential Debate 3 Hempstead, NY |
| Oct 19, 2008 |
Endorsed by Gen. Colin Powell; Record fundraising announced ($150 million) |
| Oct 23, 2008 |
Leaves campaign trail to visit his ailing Grandmother in Hawaii |
| Oct 29, 2008 |
Airs 30-min infomercial |
| Nov 2, 2008 |
Grandmother dies in Hawaii |
| Nov 4, 2008 |
Elected the 44th US President; first Black ever. He defeats John McCain |
| Nov 6, 2008 |
Names Rahm Emanuel Chief of Staff |
| Dec 1, 2008 |
Nominates his rival Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State |
| Dec 1, 2008 |
Nominates Eric Holder Attorney General |
| Dec 1, 2008 |
Names Susan Rice as Ambassador to the UN |
| Dec 15, 2008 |
Names Steven Chu, 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics winner, Secretary of Energy |
| Dec 15, 2008 |
Names Lisa Jackson to lead the EPA |
| Dec 15, 2008 |
Names Nancy Sutley to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality |
| Dec 15, 2008 |
Electoral College vote officially declared. Defeats McCain by a vote of 365 to McCain's 173 |
| Jan 15, 2009 |
Roland Burris sworn into Senate to replace him in the US Senate |
| Jan 20, 2009 |
Inaugurated as 44th US President and 1st Black President |
| Feb 2, 2009 |
Eric Holder sworn in as 1st Black Attorney General |
| Feb 17, 2009 |
Signs into law a $787 billion Economic Stimulus Package, his first major legislative victory |