Barack Obama was the 44th president of the United States and the first African American president. He served from 2009 to 2017. Some key facts about Obama include that he was born in Hawaii in 1961 to a white mother and black father. As president, Obama ordered the mission that killed Osama bin Laden, ended the war in Iraq in 2011, and expanded stem cell research. He was praised for being an inspiration and man of character during his time as president.