Barack Obama Biography

In no other country on earth is my story even possible.

—Barack Obama, July 27, 2004

On July 27, 2004, Illinois State Senator Barack Obama delivered the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. He said, “Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let’s face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely.” When he finished his speech, the audience that listened with rapt attention excitedly waved their arms, hats, and signs, thrilled with what they had just heard. Afterward, those watching on television said that they had stood and cheered, many admitting they danced. Some wondered what had just happened. For many Democrats, the speech was electrifying and inspiring; for them, it was a joyful time. And those from the other side of the political aisle who watched and listened had to agree: this fresh face, this politico, unknown to nearly everyone in the country outside of his home state of Illinois, had just delivered a remarkable speech. Many asked, who is this man and where did he come from? They asked why he was selected to deliver such an important speech at the Democratic National Convention at a time described by many as a very contentious time in U.S. politics. In the speech that evening—a speech that he wrote himself and delivered without the use of a teleprompter—Barack Obama introduced himself by first describing his father, born and raised in a small village in Kenya, and his paternal grandfather, a cook and domestic servant who, he said, had big dreams for his son. He told the immense crowd that his father, through hard work and perseverance, earned a scholarship to study in a magical place called America, which to his Kenyan countrymen was a place of freedom and opportunity. Barack told the excited crowd that July

evening that his maternal grandfather worked on oil rigs and farms during the Depression and, just after Pearl Harbor, joined the army, and that his grandmother, while raising their baby, worked on a bomber assembly line during the war. He described how his grandparents moved west from Kansas, seeking opportunities, ultimately moving to Hawaii. They too, he said, had big dreams for their daughter. He said his parents met while studying at the University of Hawaii and that they shared not only an improbable love, but also an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation.

Barack said that this country’s pride is based on a simple premise, summed up in the Declaration of Independence, as “the true genius of America, a faith in the simple dreams of its people, the insistence on small miracles.” The speech that evening undeniably catapulted this state senator from Illinois onto the national political scene. If Americans hadn’t heard of him before, they certainly knew about him now.

Barack Obama says that his story could take place only in America. He often adds that, like his parents and grandparents, anyone can achieve success through hard work and scholarship. His story is filled with good fortune, hard work, and a very good education. It is also a story of diversity of heritage that he is proud of—that is, after he came to understand and accept it.

In the United States, many political leaders throughout history have come from powerful families. For Barack Obama, this is far from the truth.

His upbringing was in humble circumstances, and, while he doesn’t fit any typical political mold, he is already considered by many to be one of the most dynamic figures in U.S. politics. His oratory skills, direct style, and ability to communicate are often compared with those of Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy.

Barack Obama is truly a rising political star in the United States. With an African first name that means “blessed,” his name is often mispronounced and sometimes ridiculed. However seemingly blessed, he states that he is meant to serve and to lead, and perhaps someday be president of the United States.