Barack Obama is a politically successful man, despite what the statistics about his race and circumstances indicate. How did he achieve this success? Of course, a major factor in his success today is the dramatic shift in racial views that has occurred since Barack's birth in the early 1960s. However, for him to reach this stature, we must consider the factors related to his youth, which paved the way for his success today. There are three main factors that contribute to making Barack a successful person: environment, education and family. Barack was born in 1961, during a decade of tremendous racial unrest. These years were a time of great change for America. The country was literally redefined as people from all walks of life fought to uphold their own standards of what they believed a true democracy was made of; equal rights for all races, freedom of speech, and the right to stay out of wars they felt they didn't belong in. However, much of this turmoil was not felt by Barack and his family while they lived in Hawaii, which itself had become the new melting pot of the United States. While he was not entirely insulated from racism, his mother and grandparents, being white, protected him from much of the effects. At the age of six he moved to Jakarta with his mother and new stepfather. Life in Indonesia, a poor country, was difficult, made better by the fact that her stepfather Lolo was relatively financially secure. However, Barack was able to see the effects that poverty has on a people. Corruption existed at every level of society and educational opportunities were limited. Corruption is the way of life in Jakarta, success or failure depends on a person's willingness to use it. The next person, hungry... middle of paper... a black man was the key to his success. In this sense, he pushed Barack very hard, giving him lessons outside of his normal school courses. She establishes in him the drive, discipline and dedication needed to succeed and provides him with the tools to do so. The factors, circumstances, and influences in Barack's life helped shape him into the successful man he is today, no different than anyone else. His story, however, is undoubtedly rare among black men born in the 1960s. The only lesson a person could gain and apply to their life is that success or failure depends on an individual's fortitude. Works Cited Obama, B. (2004). Dreams of my father. New York: Three Rivers Press.Stephanopoulos, G. (1995, 07 19). Affirmative action review. Retrieved February 16, 2010, from the White House: http://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/EOP/OP/html/aa/aa02.html