Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: A mụrụ Obama na Honolulu, Hawaii. Mgbe ọ gụsịrị akwụkwọ na Mahadum Columbia na 1983, ọ rụrụ ọrụ dị ka onye nhazi obodo na Chicago. N'afọ 1988, ọ debara aha ya na Harvard Law School, ebe ọ bụ onye isi ojii mbụ nke "Harvard Law Review". Mgbe ọ gụsịrị akwụkwọ, ọ ghọrọ onye ọka iwu ikike obodo na onye agụmakwụkwọ, na-akụzi iwu iwu na Mahadum Chicago Law School site na 1992 ruo 2004. N'ịtụgharị na ndọrọ ndọrọ ọchịchị, ọ nọchitere anya mpaghara nke 13 na Illinois Senate site na 1997 ruo 2004, mgbe ọ gbara ọsọ maka Senate US. Obama nwetara nlebara anya mba na 2004 site na mmeri ya na March Senate, nke a nabatara nke ọma na July
Okwu isi nke Democratic National Convention, na ntuli aka ya nke November na Senate. N'afọ 2008, otu afọ ka ọ malitechara mkpọsa ya, na mgbe ọ gbasịrị mbọ ike megide Hillary Clinton, ndị Democratic Party họpụtara ya ịbụ onye isi ala. A họpụtara Obama karịa onye Republican a họpụtara John McCain na ntuli aka izugbe wee guzobe ya n'akụkụ onye na-agba ọsọ ya, Joe Biden, na Jenụwarị 20, 2009. Ka ọnwa itoolu gachara, a họpụtara ya ka ọ bụrụ onye a ga-enye ihe nrite Nobel maka udo n'afọ 2009.