Barack Obama’s parents met at the University of Hawaii in 1960, where Ann Dunham was a student and Barack Obama Sr. was studying there as an exchange student.

Quick Scoop

  • Ann Dunham, who went by Ann, met Barack Obama Sr. in a class at the University of Hawaii.
  • Their relationship led to the birth of Barack Obama in 1961.
  • Reports also describe them as meeting while both were connected to the University of Hawaii in 1960.

In short

It was a college meeting, not a celebrity-style introduction. The key detail is that they crossed paths in Hawaii during 1960, when both were at the University of Hawaii.

TL;DR: Obama’s mother and father met at the University of Hawaii in 1960.