Politics & Culture

15 Photos of Young Barack Obama

In honor of the former U.S. president’s 61st birthday, L’OFFICIEL shares a glimpse into his younger years. 

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Posing for a portrait session as a student at Occidental College in Los Angeles, 1980.

Before he was the leader of the United States of America, Barack Obama wore many other impressive hats throughout his life, including varsity basketball player, community organizer, and even president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review. Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he lived with his mother and grandparents for the majority of his childhood (although he also briefly lived in Indonesia from ages 6 to 10 when his mother married an Indonesian man before returning to Hawaii upon their divorce). 

Although many of the accolades he has garnered over the years (attending Harvard Law School, becoming the president of a country, being gifted a one-of-one pair of custom Nike Hyperdunks, etc.) exist in rarified air, Obama was once just like any other kid—pudgy, athletic, and cute enough to put a smile on just about anybody’s face. To celebrate the former president’s birthday, L’OFFICIEL presents Obama’s early years in pictures.

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With his mother Ann Dunham in Hawaii.
Dressed up as a pirate for Halloween in Hawaii, photographed with his mother, Ann.
Biking in Hawaii as a child.
An early yearbook photo.
Playing baseball as a child.
With his grandfather, Stanley Armour Dunham, at the beach.
A yearbook photo.
Obama's high school senior yearbook photo. (Photo via The Guardian)
Playing varsity basketball at Punahou in 1979.
Posing for a portrait session in 1980 at Occidental College in Los Angeles.
With his former girlfriend Genevieve Cook.
Obama smoking weed as a college student.
Young Obama and his future wife Michelle LaVaughn Robinson hugging.
Barack and Michelle on their wedding day alongside their mothers.
The Obamas on their wedding day.

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