Barack Obama is the 44^th African American president of the United States. Obama is the first US president born in the 50^th state – outside the continental United States. Read on these Barack Obama facts to know his journey of how he became the 44^th president of the US.

Here are interesting facts about Barack Obama  

Full Name

His full name is Barack Hussein Obama II. Barack is a Swahili word which means “one who is blessed”.

Birthplace

Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. His natal day is August 4^th, 1961.

Parents

Barack Obama’s father was a goat herder but later he became an economist. His mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, was an anthropologist by profession. They met for the first time when studying at the University of Hawaii.

 Both parents of Barack Obama passed away even before he became the president. His father died in a car accident in 1982. Barack’s mother breathed his last in 1995. She was a cancer patient.

Siblings

After separation Barack Obama’s parents had a second marriage. From which Barack has many half-siblings. Barack’s half-sister was born to her mother after her latter marriage. His father also has several children from his later marriages in Kenya.

Drugs Addict

Barack has admitted to taking drugs when he was a high school student. In his youth days he used cocaine and marijuana. 

Grammy Award Winner

Obama surprisingly won two Grammy Awards. In 2006, he won his first Grammy Award for the category Best Spoken Word, his reading was Dream from My Father. The second album for which he won second Grammy Award was The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.

Though former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were also nominated for the award but Barack beat them.

Barack Obama Day  

In Illinois, August 4^th was announced “Barack Obama Day” in 2017. The Governor of Illinois Bruce Rauner signed into law to make this day a holiday. So each year Barack Obama Day is celebrated on 4^th August.

Hidden Talent    

We all know Obama is super talented but we don’t know his hidden talents. Once he said about his hidden talent: “I’m a pretty good poker player”. Obama loves sports and is an excellent basketball player.

Moreover, Obama confessed that he must be an architect if not a politician.

President of Harvard Law Review

Obama was the first Africa-American student who became the president of Harvard Law Review in 1990. In an interview with The New York Times he said: “You have to remember that for every one of me, there are hundreds and thousands of black students with at least equal talent who don’t get a chance”. His interview definitely made an impact because in 2017 a black African-American female ImeIme Umana became the president of Harvard Law Review.

Nobel Prize winner

Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2009. The organization says Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize admiring “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama’s vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons”.

Person of the Year

Times Magazine honored Barack Obama by mentioning him person of the year in December 2008. Obama won this honor again in 2012.

First Sitting President to visit Hiroshima

In May 2016, Barack Obama visited Hiroshima, Japan. Obama even conveyed the message that he wants a world without nuclear weapons at the city’s peace Memorial.

What he doesn’t like to eat?

Obama doesn’t like ice-cream. Also he never drinks coffee. Black forest berry iced tea is his favorite.

Quit Smoking for Good

Obama quit smoking after moving to Washington because he had promised Michelle to do so.

Favorite TV Series

Homeland and The Wire are his favorite TV series.

Nicknames

His nicknames are hell cute. His grandmother used to call him nicknames such as “Bar” and “Bear”. Another nickname of Barack Obama is “Barry”.