Barack Hussein Obama, II (1961– ), born in Honolulu, Hawaii, served as the 44th President of the United States for eight years (2009–2017). He was the first African American to be elected to the presidency. While in law school at Harvard University, he became the first African American to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review. After receiving his law degree, he taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago and began his work in public service, first as an Illinois state senator and then as a U.S. senator. When he was elected president, he won more votes than any candidate in history. During his presidency, he helped rescue the economy from an inherited economic crisis, revitalize the automobile industry, reform the healthcare system so more Americans could receive coverage, and change the direction of the country toward clean energy. He demonstrated strong leadership on the world stage, using diplomacy to shut down two inherited wars, shut down Iran's nuclear weapons program, reopen relations with Cuba, and help steer the world toward combating climate change. In 2009, he received the Nobel Peace Prize "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Barack Obama has written many books, including Dreams from My Father (1995), The Audacity of Hope (2006), and Change We Can Believe In (2008).
