August 20 - September 3, 2006 - Tours five African countries, including a visit to Nyangoma-Kogelo, Kenya, his late father's hometown.

January 16, 2007 - Files papers with the FEC to form a presidential exploratory committee.

February 10, 2007 - Announces his candidacy for president at an event in Springfield, Illinois.

November 3, 2007 - Makes a surprise guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, as himself.

January 3, 2008 - Wins the Iowa Democratic Caucuses with 38% of the vote.

February 10, 2008 - Wins his second Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for the audio version of his book, "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream." His competition is former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.

March 18, 2008 - Makes a speech in Philadelphia defending his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who made racially-charged and anti-government comments during sermons.

June 3, 2008 - Secures enough delegates to win the nomination - 2,118 - after the South Dakota and Montana primaries.

June 19, 2008 - Announces he will not accept federal matching funds for his presidential campaign, foregoing $80 million dollars in federal money and a cap on how much he can spend.

August 23, 2008 - Chooses Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) as his running mate and has first rally with Biden in Springfield, Illinois in front of the old state capitol.

August 27-28, 2008 - Is officially nominated as and accepts the nomination for president on the democratic ticket, becoming the first African American candidate in U.S. history to lead a major party.

November 3, 2008 - Grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, 86, dies in Hawaii after a long battle with cancer.

November 4, 2008 - Is elected president of the United States with an estimated 66.7 million popular votes and 365 electoral votes.

November 16, 2008 - Resigns his seat in the U.S. Senate.

December 17, 2008 - Is named Time Magazine's "Person of the Year."

January 20, 2009 - Is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States

January 22, 2009 - Issues executive orders regarding the closing of Guantanamo Bay, torture and creating a review of detention facilities and of individual cases.

April 6, 2009 - During a speech made in Turkey, is quoted as saying, "The United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam."

April 7, 2009 - Makes a surprise trip to Iraq, his first as president.

October 9, 2009 - Is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

March 23, 2010 - Signs the health care reform bill into law.

March 28, 2010 - Makes a surprise visit to Afghanistan, the first as president.

July 21, 2010 - Signs the Wall Street reform bill into law.

August 31, 2010 - President Obama addresses the nation from the Oval Office to mark the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq.

September 1-2, 2010 - Hosts meetings between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Washington, DC. Other leaders attending meeting are Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah II of Jordan.