Timeline: Barack Obama Interactive Timeline

Timeline: Barack Obama Key events in Barak Obama's life:

1961 Born on Aug. 4 in Honolulu.

1967 Moves to Indonesia with mother and stepfather.

1971 Returns to Hawaii to live with maternal grandparents.

1979 Helps his high school basketball team win a state championship.

1983 Graduates from Columbia University; works for a business research company.

1985 Works as a community organizer in poor section of Chicago.

1985 Works as a community organizer in poor section of Chicago.

1988 Enters Harvard Law School; graduates in 1991.

1990 Becomes first black editor of prestigious Harvard Law Review.

1992 Runs Project Vote! which registers 150,000 new voters in Chicago; marries Michelle Robinson.

1993 Joins law firm specializing in civil rights cases; becomes a lecturer at University of Chicago law school.

1995 Publishes "Dreams from My Father," a well-reviewed memoir about growing up in America with an absent African father.

1996 Elected an Illinois state senator.

1998 Daughter Malia is born.

2000 Loses Democratic primary in Illinois' 1st Congressional District to incumbent Rep. Bobby Rush.

2001 Daughter Sasha is born.

2002 Speaks out against invading Iraq.

2004 Delivers keynote address at Democratic convention; elected to U.S. Senate.

2006 Publishes "The Audacity of Hope," a book detailing his views on national affairs; his narration of "Dreams from My Father" wins a Grammy Award for best spoken album of 2005.

2007 Launches presidential campaign; raises a record $100 million in campaign contributions.

Jan. 3, 2008 Wins Iowa Democratic caucuses; becomes the front-runner for the presidential nomination.

Feb. 10, 2008 "The Audacity of Hope" narration wins him a second Grammy.

June 3, 2008 Locks up the Democratic presidential nomination.

Aug. 28, 2008 Accepts the presidential nomination at Democratic National Convention.

Nov. 4, 2008 Makes history. Elected the first African American U.S. president.

Credits: The Associated Press