Politics Barack Obama Throwback Photos The former President of the United States turns 62 on Aug. 4, 2023 By Andrea Wurzburger Andrea Wurzburger Andrea Wurzburger is a former features writer at PEOPLE. She left PEOPLE in 2022. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 4, 2022 07:45AM EDT Close Photo: Steve Liss/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Happy Birthday, Barack Obama! The former president celebrates his 62nd trip around the sun on Aug. 4, 2023, and to mark the day, we're looking back at some photos from his early years. 01 of 15 Baby Barack From left: former President Barack Obama with his mother, Ann Dunham, in Hawaii in the '60s. Courtesy The Obama Foundation Before he was the leader of the free world, he was just a little boy in Hawaii. Here he is pictured with his mother, Ann Dunham, in the '60s. 02 of 15 Congrats, Grad Laura S. L. Kong/Getty In 1979, a young Barack Obama escorted a classmate during the graduation ceremony at Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. 03 of 15 Young Love Michelle Obama/Twitter. In 1989, Barack Obama met Michelle Robinson while they worked together at a Chicago-based law firm. Michelle, who was also a Harvard Law alumna, was assigned to be his mentor. 04 of 15 Read All About It Barack Obama/Instagram. The former FLOTUS was originally not interested in dating her co-worker. "After about a month, Barack, about a month in, asked me out, and I thought no way. This is completely tacky," Michelle told ABC News. Eventually, though, she gave in — and the rest is history! 05 of 15 Booked and Busy Lane Turner/The Boston Globe via Getty The former President of the United States was also the President of the Harvard Law Review in 1990, and took these photos in the library to prove it. 06 of 15 Harvard Grad Joe Wrinn/Harvard University/Corbis via Getty Obama is one of the few people we know who looks great in a yearbook photo. This shot is from the Harvard Law 1991 yearbook. 07 of 15 Winning Smile Steve Liss/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Obama has always had a smile that was practically made to put us at ease. 08 of 15 Power Couple Name a couple more iconic than this duo, we'll wait. 09 of 15 To Have and to Hold Michelle Obama/Instagram. After getting engaged in 1991, the pair wed in Chicago on Oct. 3, 1992. According to Michelle, "Barack didn't pledge riches, only a life that would be interesting. On that promise he delivered." 10 of 15 Life of the Party On their 25th anniversary, Michelle wrote of her husband on Instagram, "You can't tell it from this photo, but Barack woke up on our wedding day in October, 1992 with a nasty head cold. Somehow, by the time I met him at the altar, it had miraculously disappeared and we ended up dancing almost all night. Twenty five years later, we're still having fun, while also doing the hard work to build our partnership and support each other as individuals. I can't imagine going on this wild ride with anybody else." 11 of 15 One Lucky Guy Some friendly advice: Get a man who looks at you the way Barack Obama looked at his wife on their wedding day! 12 of 15 He's a Cool Dad The Obamas welcomed their oldest daughter, Malia Ann Obama, on July 4, 1998, and her little sister Sasha on July 10, 2001. 13 of 15 Family Fun Posting a throwback photo from a family vacation, Michelle wished her husband a happy birthday, captioning the sweet pic, "Happy birthday to my favorite guy. Here's to all the good days, blue skies and new adventures to come." 14 of 15 Lots of Laughs "Thank you for the way you love our girls—and all the young people in this country, no matter who they are or where they come from," Michelle wrote on Father's Day 2020. "We feel your warmth and generosity today and everyday. Happy Father's Day, Barack! ❤️" 15 of 15 There's Snow-body Like Obama Obama enjoyed some winter fun with his little snow angels in this throwback photo.