Barack Obama is an American politician and attorney who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017. He was the first African American to hold the office. Before his presidency, he was a U.S. Senator from Illinois and a state senator in Illinois as well. Obama is a member of the Democratic Party. Born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii, Obama graduated from Columbia University and earned his law degree from Harvard Law School. He is known for his policies on healthcare reform, economic recovery, and climate change, as well as for his efforts to improve relations with Cuba and Iran.