First African American President of The US, Obama to be Sworn in just 5 days after MLK Birthday PDF Print E-mail
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Written by the Press Room   
Wednesday, 05 November 2008 09:17
Barack Obama - 44th President of The United States
The United States proved it's greatness by making History and electing the first African American President for the Nation. The United States has elected Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States who will take office January 20, 2009, just 5 days after the birthday of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., who helped pave the way for this to even be possible.

Ironic History - At the White House Rose Garden on November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor King. Observed for the first time on January 20, 1986, it is called Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Following President George H. W. Bush's 1992 proclamation, the holiday is observed on the third Monday of January each year, near the time of King's birthday. On November 2, 2008, Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, died from cancer at the age of 86. Obama learned of his grandmother's death on November 3, one day before his election as the 44th President of the United States. Barack Obama was elected November 4, 2008 and will take office January 20, 2009


Obama is the first African American to be elected President of the United States, and was also the first African American to be nominated for President by a major U.S. political party. A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, he became the first black person to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review. Obama worked as a community organizer and practiced as a civil rights attorney before serving three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. He taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, he announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate in January 2003. After a primary victory in March 2004, Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. He was elected to the Senate in November 2004 with 70 percent of the vote.

As a member of the Democratic minority in the 109th Congress, he helped create legislation to control conventional weapons and to promote greater public accountability in the use of federal funds. He also made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. During the 110th Congress, he helped create legislation regarding lobbying and electoral fraud, climate change, nuclear terrorism, and care for returned U.S. military personnel. Obama announced his presidential campaign in February 2007, and was formally nominated at the 2008 Democratic National Convention with Delaware senator Joe Biden as his running mate.