The Passport That Made A President!
Barack Obama Sr.'s Passport That Took Him to America
A one-of-a-kind Kenyan passport issued to President Barack Obama's father, two years before the birth of the President. This passport was used by Obama Sr. to travel to America, where he met the President's mother (Ann Dunham) in Hawaii. This is a super interesting piece; without it, Barack Obama would never have become President, and we'd probably not have any African-American President to date.
At the age of 23, Obama Sr. had come to Hawaii to pursue his education, leaving behind a pregnant wife, Kezia, and their infant son in his hometown of Nyang'oma Kogelo in Kenya. In 1959, Obama enrolled at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu as the university's first African foreign student. He met Ann Dunham during a class, and two years later (February 2, 1961), while Dunham was three months pregnant, they got married despite parental opposition from both families. Obama Sr. eventually informed Dunham about his first marriage in Kenya but claimed he was divorced. Years later, Dunham discovered this was false. However, their son (and future U.S. President) Barack was born on August 4, 1961. Obama Sr. returned to Kenya in 1964.
Measuring 4.25 x 6 inches, issued in Nairobi, dated April 29, 1959, through April 29, 1969, when it was canceled. The passport, issued on behalf of the Colony and Protectorate of Kenya, No. 84764, lists Obama's profession as "Clerk" and residence as "Kenya Colony". Signed by Obama Sr., with a black and white photograph of him on the opposite page. Obama did not list or include the photograph of his wife, Kezia Aoko (m. 1954), nor did he list the name of his two children, Malik (b. 1958) and Auma (b. 1960). The passport appears to have been renewed once, extending its validity from April 29, 1964, to April 29, 1969, with various visa and travel stamps throughout.
Notable details of the passport:
FRONT
– Passport number" 84764" and date" APR 29 1958". "CANCELLED" is stamped over the text.
– "British Passport, Colony and Protectorate of Kenya"
– "MR. B. H. OBAMA" is handwritten. "CANCELLED" is stamped over the text.
PAGE 1
– Passport number" 84764", and handwritten "MR. BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA".
PAGE 2
– Profession: "CLERK"
– Place and Date of Birth: "ALEGO, NYANZA, PROVINCE, 18-6-1934"
– Residence: "KENYA COLONY"
– Height: "5 FT. 10 IN."
– Colour of Eyes: "BLACK"
– Colour of Hair: "BLACK"
– Special Peculiarities and Children/Infants are blank.
– Barack Obama Sr.'s handwritten signature.
PAGE 3
– A photograph of Barack Obama Sr.
– The section where the photograph of Barack Obama Sr.'s wife is blank.
PAGE 4
– A list of countries where the passport is valid, which includes the United States of America.
– The Validity of the Passport: APR 29, 1964
– Issued at: NAIROBI
– Date: APR 29, 1959
PAGE 8
– "Additional Countries added at Boston U.S.A. on September 10th 1963, Authority Kenya Letter / 3 September 1963". Signed and stamped by the British Consulate at Boston.
PAGE 10
– An American Nonimmigrant visa stamp no. NRB20, dated July 29, 1959, , stating he was valid for "UNLIMITED" applications for admission into the United States if presented before July 28, 1960.
– A handwritten note, which implies a visit to Boston in 1964.
PAGE 11
– A stamp showing a visit to New York on Aug 9 (the year is missing).
Notably, the President's half-brother Malik Obama, posted images of this very passport on Twitter, saying that his brother is a "fake ass", and that this passport proves that the President was born in Kenya, not America. That's, in fact, fake news , as this passport was issued to the President's father, not the President.
A very controversial and interesting item. Especially with Trump and the right-wing talking a lot about President Obama being born in Kenya, etc. I find this item to be of interest to people from both parties. Just by looking at the front of the passport, it sure looks like President Obama has a Kenyan passport, which by itself is a crazy thought.
Accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity by John Reznikoff (University Archives), and a Letter of Authenticity from Alexander Bitar History.