Things You Might Not Know About Barack Obama - Page 5
Today, former President Barack Obama celebrates his birthday! While many people know him as America's first Black president, there are plenty of surprising facts about his life that
Obama won multiple Grammys for audiobook narration of his memoirs.
Obama was an avid basketball player and organized pickup games at the White House.
Obama collected Spider-Man and Conan comics as a child and even appeared as a comic book character.
Source: Geoff Stellfox / Getty
10 Things You Might Not Know About Barack Obama
Today, former President Barack Obama celebrates his birthday! While many people know him as America’s first Black president, there are plenty of surprising facts about his life that don’t get talked about nearly as often.
Here are 10 things you may not have known about the 44th President of the United States.
Before podcasts were everywhere, Barack Obama won Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album for narrating the audiobook versions of his memoirs Dreams From My Father and The Audacity of Hope. He later earned a third Grammy for A Promised Land.
2. His Secret Service Codename Was “Renegade”
Every president receives a Secret Service codename. Obama’s was “Renegade,” while Michelle Obama’s was “Renaissance.” Their daughters, Malia and Sasha, were known as “Radiance” and “Rosebud.”
3. He Loves Basketball
Obama is a huge basketball fan and played regularly before becoming president. During his time in the White House, he often organized pickup games with NBA players, college stars, military members, and White House staff.
4. He Was the First Sitting President to Visit a Federal Prison
In 2015, Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to tour a federal prison when he visited El Reno Federal Correctional Institution in Oklahoma as part of his criminal justice reform efforts.
5. He Collected Spider-Man and Conan Comics Growing Up
Long before politics, Obama was a comic book fan. He has mentioned reading Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics as a kid and has even appeared as a comic book character himself.
As a teenager in Honolulu, Hawaii, Obama scooped ice cream at Baskin-Robbins. He has joked that after working there, he lost his taste for ice cream for a long time because he ate so much of it.
Obama remains the only U.S. president born in Hawaii. He spent much of his childhood there after living briefly in Indonesia with his mother and stepfather.
9. He Almost Became an Architect
Before finding his passion for public service, Obama once considered becoming an architect. He later studied political science at Columbia University before earning his law degree from Harvard Law School, where he became the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review.
10. He and Michelle Signed One of the Biggest Book Deals Ever
After leaving the White House, Barack and Michelle Obama signed a publishing deal reportedly worth more than $60 million. Their memoirs became global bestsellers, with Becoming becoming one of the best-selling memoirs in history.
Happy Birthday, President Obama!
Whether you know him for his historic presidency, bestselling books, love of basketball, or carefully curated playlists, Barack Obama continues to be one of the most recognizable figures in modern history.
Which fact surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments, and happy birthday to the 44th President of the United States!
