May 25, 2012

We called him Barry: Obama, the early years – in pictures

Barack Obama: the man who would be president – from childhood to the college years and a wicked impersonation of John Travolta

Early Obama: Early Obama:Barack Obama standing in the waves on the beach in Honolulu — On the beach in Honolulu Photograph: Obama for America

Early Obama: Early Obama: Barack Obama rides a tricycle during his childhood in Hawaii — Pumping the pedals during his childhood in Hawaii Photograph: Obama for America

Early Obama: Early Obama: Kindergarten photo from Noelani school, Hawaii with Barack — Kindergarten class photo from Noelani school in Hawaii with young Barack on far left, third row from the bottom Photograph: Noelani Elementary School.

Early Obama: Early Obama: Lolo Soetoro & wife Ann Dunham with Maya Soetoro and Barack — Stepfather Lolo Soetoro with his wife Ann Dunham, Barack's mother, his half sister Maya and Barack Photograph: Martodihardjo family collection

Early Obama: Early Obama: Obama and his father — The one and only time father and son met after Barack’s parents split during his infancy was when Barack Sr came to Honolulu for a Christmas visit in 1971. Taken at the airport in Hawaii when Barack Jr was 10 Photograph: Obama for America

Early Obama: Early Obama: Obama’s name in concrete outside the Punahou cafeteria — Obama’s name in concrete outside the Punahou cafeteria. The story goes that one of his friends scratched his name there to get him in trouble Photograph: Ron Jacobs

Early Obama: Early Obama: Obama in fifth grade at school — Fifth grade class photo from Punahou, Hawaii. Barack is top row, third from left. His first teacher, Mabel Hefty, had travelled the world and spent a year teaching in Kenya. When she learned that 'Barry’s' Kenyan father was visiting Honolulu, she invited him to speak to the class Photograph: Punahou School

Early Obama: Early Obama: Barack Obama with his 1979 state basketball championship team — With his senior state basketball championship team for Punahou School in 1979. Obama is in the back row, last player on the right Photograph: The Oahuan

Early Obama: Early Obama: Barack Obama playing basketball. — Obama would complain that he did not get enough playing time because he played a 'black' style of basketball. In fact, he was one of the few players on the team who could not jump high enough to dunk the ball Photograph: The Oahuan

Early Obama: Early Obama: The Choom Gang — The Choom Gang, a group of boys at Punshou school. Choom was a verb meaning to smoke marijuana. Barack (middle right) was part of the gang, who's lingo included the hand gesture V for veto Photograph: Personal Picture

Early Obama: Early Obama: Barack Obama dressed as John Travolta in a homecoming picture — 1970s homeroom photo, with Barack standing, middle of back row, dressed as John Travolta Photograph: The Oahuan

Early Obama: Early Obama: Barack Obama poses for a portrait taken while he was a student — Posing for a portrait session when he was a student in 1980 at Occidental College in Los Angeles Photograph: Lisa Jack/Contour/Getty Images

Early Obama: Early Obama: Barack Obama with girlfriend Genevieve Cook — With girlfriend Genevieve Cook, an Australian who had studied in the US and shared his love of writing Photograph: Personal Picture

Early Obama: Early Obama: Barack Obama Poses With His Grandparents — With his maternal grandparents Stanley Armour Dunham and Madelyn Dunham in New York City in the 1980s

Photographs taken from Barack Obama: The Making Of The Man, by David Maraniss, published next week by Atlantic Books at £25. To order a copy for £20, with free UK mainland p&p, go to guardianbookshop.co.uk or call 0330 333 6846 Photograph: Obama for America

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