Barack Obama Day refers to two days of recognition in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

in honor of

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

, who served as the 44th

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

from 2009 to 2017. Obama was a member of the

Illinois Senate The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Under the ...

from 1997 to 2004 and represented the state in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

from 2005 to 2008 before becoming president. Illinois celebrates the day on August 4 of each year. Similar to other commemorative holidays, it is not a legal state holiday, i.e. workplaces are not closed on the day. Perry County, Alabama, has celebrated the second Monday of November as Barack Obama Day since 2009. County offices and schools are closed for the holiday.

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users unofficially celebrated Obama Day on June 14, 2020, posting pictures of the former president, with some using the hashtag #AllBirthdaysMatter in response to All Lives Matter. June 14 is also

Donald Trump's Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...

birthday.

History

Alabama

The Perry County Commission approved a resolution sponsored by commissioner Albert Turner, Jr. to establish Barack Obama Day by a vote four-to-one in 2008. The holiday was observed starting in 2009.

Illinois

In 2017, Illinois State Representatives André Thapedi and

Sonya Harper Sonya Harper is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives. Since her October 20, 2015 appointment to replace the late Esther Golar, she has represented the 6th district, which includes all or portions of Armour Square, Bridgepo ...

introduced a bill to designate Barack Obama Day as a state holiday. The original measure would have closed schools and state offices for the day. It was rejected by the House in March 2017, citing expense and the lack of a holiday for other presidents from Illinois such as

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

. That same year,

State Senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of ...

Emil Jones III Emil Jones III Site variously referred to Jones as "Emil Jones, III"; "Emil Jones III"; and "Mr. Emil Jones Jr. III" (born May 16, 1978) is the Illinois State Senator for the 14th Senate District since 2010. The 14th district covers all or pa ...

and others introduced Illinois Senate Bill 55, which designated August 4 as Barack Obama Day but did not make it an official state holiday. The bill passed both houses of the

Illinois General Assembly The Illinois General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. It has two chambers, the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 181 ...

with no votes against, and was signed into law by Illinois Governor

Bruce Rauner Bruce Vincent Rauner (; born February 18, 1956) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as the 42nd governor of Illinois from 2015 to 2019. Prior to his election, he was the chairman of R8 Capital Partners and chai ...

on August 4, 2017. The bill amended the State Commemorative Dates Act to include a new section:

Barack Obama Day. August 4th of each year is designated as Barack Obama Day, to be observed throughout the State as a day set apart to honor the 44th President of the United States of America who began his career serving the People of Illinois in both the Illinois State Senate and the United States Senate, and dedicated his life to protecting the rights of Americans and building bridges across communities.

Legislative history

Other recognition days

Since the

United States presidential election The election of the president and the vice president of the United States is an indirect election in which citizens of the United States who are registered to vote in one of the fifty U.S. states or in Washington, D.C., cast ballots not dir ...

of 2008, Obama Day is celebrated annually on November 6 in

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, the country from which President Obama's father originated.

References

{{Public holidays in the United States Barack Obama August observances Recurring events established in 2018 State holidays in the United States Public holidays in the United States Illinois culture 2018 establishments in Illinois Presidential birthdays in the United States