| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | '''Barack Hussein Obama''' (b. 4 August 1961) is the junior Senator from [[Illinois]], elected to the United States Senate as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in 2004. He is currently a high profile candidate for the Democratic Nomination for [[President of the United States]] in the [[2008 Presidential Election|2008 election]]. He is, at present, the only [[African American]] serving in the [[United States Senate]]. | + | '''Barack Hussein Obama''' (b. 4 August 1961) is the junior Senator from [[Illinois]], elected to the United States Senate as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in 2004. Despite a lack of military, executive or foreign policy experience, he is currently a [[liberal]] favorite for the Democratic Nomination for [[President of the United States]] in the [[2008 Presidential Election|2008 election]]. He is, as of 2007, the only [[African American]] serving in the [[United States Senate]], where he serves his first term. |
| | [[Image:obama.jpg|thumb|right|Senator Barack Obama]] | | [[Image:obama.jpg|thumb|right|Senator Barack Obama]] |
| | ==Early Life and Education== | | ==Early Life and Education== |
| | Senator Obama was born in Honolulu, [[Hawaii]] to Barack Obama, Sr. and Ann Dunham in 1961. In 1967 he moved to Jakarta, [[Indonesia]] with his mother and new stepfather. He attended an Indonesian Public School followed by a [[Catholic]] school until he returned with his mother to Hawaii. There he attended the Punahou School, a private preparatory school until 1979, the year of his graduation.<br /><br /> | | Senator Obama was born in Honolulu, [[Hawaii]] to Barack Obama, Sr. and Ann Dunham in 1961. In 1967 he moved to Jakarta, [[Indonesia]] with his mother and new stepfather. He attended an Indonesian Public School followed by a [[Catholic]] school until he returned with his mother to Hawaii. There he attended the Punahou School, a private preparatory school until 1979, the year of his graduation.<br /><br /> |
| − | Obama continued his education at Occidental College in Los Angeles, [[California]] before graduating with his Bachelor of Arts from [[Columbia University]] in New York, [[New York]]. After working as a community organizer in New York City and Chicago, Illinois, Obama enrolled at [[Harvard]] Law School. He was the first African American president of the ''Harvard Law Review'', an elected position, and graduated ''magna cum laude'' with his J.D. in 1992. | + | Obama continued his education at Occidental College in Los Angeles, [[California]] before graduating with his Bachelor of Arts from [[Columbia University]] in New York, [[New York]]. After working as a community organizer in New York City and Chicago, Illinois, Obama enrolled at [[Harvard]] Law School. He was elected the first African American president of the [[liberal]] ''Harvard Law Review'', which has a [[quota]] system for accepting African Americans, and graduated ''magna cum laude'' with his J.D. in 1992. |
| − | | |
| − | According to [[Lynne Cheney]], [[Vice President]] [[Dick Cheney]] and Barack Obama are eighth cousins. A spokeswoman for Mrs. Cheney added Obama "is a descendent of Mareen Duvall. This French Huguenot's son married the granddaughter of a Richard Cheney, who arrived in [[Maryland]] in the late 1650's from England."<ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/16/lynne-cheney-dick-and-barack-obama-are-eighth-cousins/ ‘Dick and Barack Obama are eighth cousins'], Lynne Cheney, [[MSNBC]]. Retrieved October 16, 2007.</ref>
| |
| | | | |
| | + | ==Legal Career== |
| | + | Following law school, Obama continued his work as a community organizer in Chicago as Director of Illinois Project Vote. In 1993 he was hired as an associate at the Chicago law firm Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C. and began lecturing merely as an instructor in Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago Law School. During this time he wrote his first book, ''Dreams from My Father'', detailing his background, his youth, and his education. ''Dreams'' was published in 1995. |
| | ==Legal Career== | | ==Legal Career== |
| | Following law school, Obama continued his work as a community organizer in Chicago as Director of Illinois Project Vote. In 1993 he was hired as an associate at the Chicago law firm Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C. and began lecturing in Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago Law School. He remains on the faculty on leave of absence through today. During this time he wrote his first book, ''Dreams from My Father'', detailing his background, his youth, and his education. ''Dreams'' was published in 1995. | | Following law school, Obama continued his work as a community organizer in Chicago as Director of Illinois Project Vote. In 1993 he was hired as an associate at the Chicago law firm Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C. and began lecturing in Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago Law School. He remains on the faculty on leave of absence through today. During this time he wrote his first book, ''Dreams from My Father'', detailing his background, his youth, and his education. ''Dreams'' was published in 1995. |